


Hickeys and Other Forms of Teenage Rebellion

by Homeskillet



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - High School, Anal Sex, Angst, Bad Parenting, Blow Jobs, Bottom!Cas, Domestic, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Fighting, Fluff, Friends With Benefits, Frottage, Gay Sex, Graphic Depiction Of A Suicide Attempt, Hair Pulling, Hand Jobs, Happy Ending, High School, Homophobia, I can't believe I did research for this, It has its moments, It's not all bad I swear, Law, M/M, Physical Abuse, Redemption, Secret Relationship, Sex, Smut, Sort of..., Teenagers, Texting, They are dumb, Top!Cas, Underage Drinking, bottom!Dean, court...stuff, eventually, jealous!Dean, the underage tag is because Dean and Cas are underage, top!dean
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-29
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:46:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 29
Words: 100,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22958899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Homeskillet/pseuds/Homeskillet
Summary: Castiel had a pretty decent life in Chicago. That is, until his mom passed away and his father married Naomi. Now, he's being uprooted at the end of his junior year in high school to live in some hick-town in Kansas.Alone in a new town with an absent father and a homophobic step-mother, has Castiel's life truly come to an end? Things look up when he meets Dean Winchester...but for how long?
Relationships: Alfie/Sam Winchester, Balthazar/Castiel (Supernatural), Bartholomew/Naomi (Supernatural), Castiel/Dean Winchester, Michael/Anna Milton, no overlap between Cas/Balth and Cas/Dean
Comments: 72
Kudos: 138





	1. Will You Go Where You Don't Know and Never Be the Same?

**Author's Note:**

> Huge shout out to my friends Bre, Greer, and Kai for putting up with my shit and helping me shape this story. It wouldn't be nearly this good (or even this completed) without their help!
> 
> as always, comments and kudos are much appreciated, and follow me on tumblr: satansass666

“No, Balthazar! I'm not getting a tramp stamp of mistletoe!”

“Oh, c’mon! Why not?”

“Would you like the reasons alphabetically or chronologically? Number one: my dad would kill me. Number two: I’m only sixteen, I literally could not get ANY tattoo. Number three: unlike you, I don't have the desire to tell the whole world to kiss my ass. And number four: my dad would _kill me_! Shouldn’t you be working on some senior project anyway?” The teen was not given an answer before he heard a voice coming from downstairs. 

_"Castiel, could you come into the living room?"_

Castiel rolled his eyes at his father’s voice. He returned his attention to his friend he was Skyping.

“My dad is summoning me,” Castiel told his friend dejectedly.

“What have you done _now_?” The boy on the screen teased. Balthazar knew Cas’ dad never called him down for good news. Cas smiled a little bit at the jab. The Brit smiled himself; the least he could do was put Castiel in a relatively good mood for what was about to come.

“It might be about the crumbs on the kitchen counter, or maybe the throw pillows on the couch weren’t fluffed properly,” Castiel joked back. He asked Balthazar to wait a few minutes while he did as his father asked. The teen pulled out his headphones and made his way to the living room. When he got there, Naomi and his father were sitting on the couch, leaving him to take the armchair. They did this every time they wanted to have a ‘family meeting’. These usually turned out to be less ‘family meeting’ and more ‘Castiel is in trouble for something totally superfluous’. They’ve been doing this since his father married Naomi a few years ago when Castiel was in eighth grade. Castiel was less than pleased, to say the least. Often times, he was cold with Naomi, going so far as to outright ignore her. It didn't help that she treated him like a second class human being, or that eighth graders were moody to begin with. She also blatantly preferred his older brother, Michael, which only angered Castiel further.

It always made him feel like he was being interrogated when they sat him in the chair like this. He was a junior now, he was above the whole ‘parental admonishing’ thing, especially when he never got into any _real_ trouble. 

Well, he didn't get into trouble _back then_ , anyway. Plus, you couldn’t count it as getting into trouble if you never got caught.

Castiel had been a well behaved child all his life, but something - no _everything_ \- about Naomi just made his blood boil. So, one day after Naomi tried to punish him for getting a C on a test that everyone else failed, he might've told her off. Colorfully. That was the first time they had sat him down in this chair and basically yelled at him until he agreed to listen to his step mother.

Castiel’s father’s voice drew him out of his revere.

“Did you hear me?” He asked. He shared a look with his wife and shrugged. Castiel’s eyes focused on his dad once again.

“No, sorry, I must’ve-” He started, but Naomi cut him off rather abruptly.

“He said we’re moving,” she stated irritably. Bartholomew let out a minute sigh. Castiel could tell that his father wanted to be the one to give Castiel the news. It took a second for Castiel to actually process the words that had come out of Naomi’s mouth.

“Moving?” Castiel parroted. 

“Did you ignore me as well? Yes, moving! We should be out of this house by the end of the week,” she stated, as if they weren’t about to uproot Cas' life entirely. “It’s like you do this just to make me mad,” Naomi said under her breath.

“A week?! I don’t want to move!” Castiel protested. “I have friends here, I don’t want to be the new kid at the end of junior year! Where am I gonna go to school? How am I supposed to just start over like that? Why are we moving _now_?” Castiel questioned, rapid fire. His brain was going a mile a minute, and there were so many things he had to filter through to even articulate a single question.

“Because I said so,” Naomi replied. Castiel rolled his eyes. 

“Are you kidding me? You didn’t pick Michael up out of the school he’s been going to his entire life to toss him into some other system!” His father and Naomi exchanged another look. After a beat of silence, he sat up taller in his chair. “Why?” He asked simply.

“Why what?” His father replied.

“Why are we moving? Why _now_?” Castiel inquired. Naomi became very impatient with Castiel’s questions.

“ _Because_ , your father has received a promotion, so we are moving closer to headquarters. I believe Kansas will be a wonderful place for him to-” 

“Kansas!? We’re moving to _Kansas?!_ This is ridiculous! Dad, we can’t possibly be moving,” he searched his father’s face for answers, but what Castiel saw staring back at him was barely even his father. Bartholomew looked so tired and withered. Castiel became angry at his father’s lack of empathy...or, really, lack of any emotion. If his father wasn’t going to stand up for him, he’d have to stand up for himself, “What about _me_? I have a _life_ here, you can’t just uproot-” Castiel yelled. 

“Castiel Novak, do _not_ raise your voice at me,” Naomi admonished, “we’re moving to Kansas. End of discussion.”

Castiel’s jaw clenched and he scanned his father for...something. A look perhaps, that would mean that all of this wasn’t happening, or possibly that he would stand up for his son. His father refused to meet his eyes. 

Castiel stood up abruptly and stalked to his room, slamming the door in a moment of childish anger. He fell back on the bed and put his headphones back in.

“So what’s the verdict?” His friend asked.

“I’m moving,” Castiel stated, emotionless.

“You’re WHAT?” Balthazar screamed. “You can’t be! You’ve almost completed your junior year, they can’t pluck you up and drop you in some other school for your senior year!” He protested further. “It’s not fair to-"

“Try telling that to HER!” Castiel cut him off angrily. He took a deep breath and looked at his screen. Balthazar sat completely shocked. Castiel sighed deeply. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow,” Castiel said dejectedly, closing his laptop before Balthazar could say anything else. 

Castiel decided to take a shower to keep himself from doing anything he’d regret later. The hot spray helped him relax a little, but he was still upset about the news. When he stepped out of the shower, he was greeted with a few texts from Balthazar warning him not to say anything to Naomi until he’s had a chance to calm down. Castiel smiled in spite of himself. Damn Balthazar for knowing him so well. 

After some persuasion, Castiel was convinced to go out with Balthazar. First, they stopped at Cas' favorite burger place, and Balthazar insisted that he pay for them both. Knowing that his friend wasn’t going to take no for an answer, Castiel acquiesced. 

Balthazar noticed, despite his efforts, he was not succeeding at raising Castiel’s spirits. After paying for the meal, they climbed back into Balthazar’s Porsche and headed back towards Castiel’s house. On a whim, Balthazar took a left turn instead of a right. 

“Hey, where are we going?” Castiel asked. 

“I seemed to have failed putting you into a good mood, so we’re trying a different tactic,” Balthazar explained. 

“ _Tactic?_ Am I some sort of mission to you?” Castiel asked huffily. 

“With that attitude, yes,” Balthazar shot back. Castiel rolled his eyes and flopped his head back. After a few minutes, the two boys pulled up to Balthazar’s apartment building. 

“My dad’s on a date tonight. I have the place to myself,” Balthazar said, raising his eyebrows and shrugging a shoulder as a way of asking if Castiel wanted this. The younger boy seemed to really think about it. In the end, he nodded and the two boys headed up to the apartment. 

When they reached Balthazar’s floor, the boys removed their shoes before the brit took Cas' hand and led them to his room. There, he shut the door and removed his shirt before flopping onto his queen sized mattress.

“Ravish me, darling,” he said, really playing up his accent. Castiel raked his eyes down his friend’s body, remembering the last time they did this. They had almost been caught by Balthazar’s father, but luckily Castiel had heard the front door close so they had time to redress and pretend nothing had been going on. 

Castiel took two slow steps towards the bed, contemplating whether or not he really wanted to do this. He reflected on the day he’d had and decided that he would probably be better off if he let off a bit of steam.

He smiled devilishly and removed his own shirt before covering his friend’s body with his own. Their mouths connected and Castiel pushed his hips down onto Balthazar’s. Both of them let out a moan at the contact. 

Castiel ended up taking Balthazar roughly, releasing his frustration with his hips. Of course, Balthazar was spitting out strings of encouragement, doing his best to help lift his friend’s spirits. After it was all said and done, Castiel redressed and Balthazar went to his closet to pick out pajamas for the night. Balthazar transferred his clothes to the bathroom across the hallway and Castiel followed.

“Thank you, for the burgers and the…” Castiel trailed off, looking down at the tile in the bathroom. 

“Hate fuck? Don’t mention it,” Balthazar said, smiling fondly at his friend. 

“It wasn’t a _hate_ fuck,” Castiel protested, “I’d call it more of a...release of pent up anger,” he said.

“Call it what you want, it makes no difference to me,” he said. Castiel smiled and leaned in for one last kiss. He got to the end of the hallway before he remembered something.

“Hey, wait, um...you drove me here,” Castiel reminded his friend. 

“The keys are on my nightstand. Just pick me up for school tomorrow,” Balthazar said casually. 

“Alright,” Castiel said.

“And if you even scratch her-”

“You’ll castrate me, yeah I know,” Castiel finished. He laughed as he closed the front door behind him. His smile didn’t leave his face the entire ride home.

⚣

On his last Sunday in Chicago, Castiel could be found looking around his empty bedroom. Balthazar was carrying a few of his boxes to the truck.

Castiel stared at the photo in his hands. The wall in front of him had a faded rectangle outlining where the picture had hung for many years. 

The photo was taken in front of one of Chicago’s most famous artworks: The Bean. His father had an arm around his mother, and Michael and Cas stood at their sides. Castiel had looked up at his distorted reflection at the time the photo had been taken, so he wasn't looking at the camera. He smiled to himself and brushed off the dust on the glass. 

“Ok, that can go in here,” Naomi said, snatching the frame from Castiel’s hand and unceremoniously tossing it into a nearby box. She surveyed what was left of his room and seemed to approve of the progress he was making. There were only a few boxes and a suitcase left. She quickly turned on her heel and went to double check Michael’s old bedroom for any spare items. 

Castiel felt like he'd been slapped in the face. He just stood there until motion in his doorway brought him back to the present. 

“So...Kansas?” Balthazar prompted. Castiel sighed and looked at his bare room. 

“Yeah,” he whispered, wishing with all his might that this was some sort of twisted nightmare. “I can't believe my father is doing this. Ever since…” Castiel trailed off, not wanting to discuss _that_ the very last time he would see his best friend, “he's been...less. He's not around as much, he doesn't stand up for me, or himself for that matter. I don't get it,” Castiel informed his friend. 

Balthazar looked to the floor dejectedly. He hated seeing his closest friend like this. After a moment of silence, Balthazar spoke again. “We’ll still talk all the time, right Cassie?” he asked hopefully. 

“Of course,” Castiel answered quickly. “I'm gonna miss you so much. I can't believe this is happening,” he said, willing the tears to go away. Balthazar reached out and pulled his friend into a hug. 

“It's gonna be ok, Cassie. Kansas will be lucky to have you,” he soothed. He could feel his shoulder getting damp, but he just squeezed Cas tighter. 

“Are you ready, Castiel?” Bartholomew asked from down the hall. 

“One minute!” Castiel yelled back, proud that his voice didn't shake. He pulled away from his best friend and looked into his eyes. Balthazar wiped a stray tear from Cas' cheek. Cas smiled sadly and turned to zip up his final suitcase. 

“So I guess this means I won’t have anyone to bone on a whim,” Balthazar remarked, trying to ease the tension a little bit. A laugh escaped from Castiel. 

“What about Fate?” Castiel asked. He hated her name, but she was a decent enough girl...if you stayed on her good side. “Or Lucifer?” Castiel taunted, wiggling his eyebrows. 

“His name is _Lucas_ , and he’s too...bossy,” Balthazar complained. 

“That’s rich, coming from you,” Castiel teased cheekily.

“Watch that mouth of yours,” Balthazar warned.

“Or what?” Castiel egged him on.

“Or I’ll have to do this,” in one fell swoop, Balthazar wrapped an arm around Castiel’s back and kissed him hard. Castiel closed his eyes and relished this moment. He knew that he might never get a moment like this with Balthazar again. They jumped apart when they heard footsteps climbing up the stairs. 

“Call me when you arrive in hick town,” Balthazar said as a figure passed Castiel’s room and entered the master bedroom. 

“We're moving to Lawrence, Balthazar. I don't think it classifies as a hick town,” Castiel said with a small smile. “Plus, Chicago is eight hours away from Lawrence, it'll be late when we get to the new house,” Castiel reminded his friend. 

“Then I'll sacrifice a few hours of sleep,” Balthazar said. “I won't be able to get proper rest until I know you haven't been in a ten car pile up on the interstate,” He continued. Castiel smiled. 

“The only good thing about this move is that my parents will finally get rid of that goddamn armchair they lecture me in,” Castiel joked, making an effort to keep the mood light. Balthazar chuckled and wished his friend good luck with the transition. 

They shared a final hug before they exited the house Castiel had grown up in. 

⚣

Loud knocking on his door pulled Dean out of his sleep. He picked his head up off the pillow and squinted his eyes until he could read his clock. 

“C’mon Dean! Wake up, we have to leave soon!” Sam’s voice whined through the door. Dean groaned and flipped over to his back. He ran his hands over his face and took a deep breath. 

“Dean!” The impatient eighth grader pressed. 

“I'm up, I'm up! Jesus!” Dean yelled. He flung back his covers and got out of bed. He dressed quickly and went upstairs to grab some breakfast. 

“Good morning, sweetie,” his mother greeted him from the kitchen. 

“Morning, mom,” he replied.

“There's some muffins on the counter. I know Sam's in a rush to get to school,” Mary offered. Dean thanked his mom and took two muffins for the road. 

“I don't get why that kid is in such a hurry. It's Monday. Why does he need to be at school so early on a _Monday_?” Dean complained. Mary just smiled and shook her head. 

A few minutes later, Sam was practically pushing Dean out of the door. 

“Oh, wait! Hey mom, is it ok if Charlie comes over after school?” He asked hopefully before Sam could succeed in pushing him onto the porch. 

“Of course! I love it when she's here. She keeps you in check,” Mary said as she leveled a glare at her oldest son. There was no real malice behind it, though. Dean rolled his eyes but thanked his mom nonetheless. Sam gave a final push and the brothers were on their way to school. 

“Why do you have to be there so early anyway?” Dean asked when they were about halfway there.

“Alfie wanted to give his speech to me before he had to do it for the class,” Sam explained. Dean smiled and made the whipping sound. 

“Dean, stop. I'm not whipped,” Sam complained. 

“Uh, Sammy, if your boyfriend asks you to come early on a Monday and you do it without questioning it, you're whipped,” Dean teased. 

“Or maybe I'm just a good boyfriend,” Sam quipped back. He would not be made fun of for being a decent person. 

“Alright, alright, I'm just teasing you,” Dean said as he pulled into a parking spot. 

“Don't forget you have to give me a ride home,” Sam reminded his brother before rushing into the building to find Alfie. 

Dean sighed and made his way into the school as well. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and Comments are much appreciated!


	2. Accidents Don't Just Happen Accidentally

The school day seemed to drag on for Castiel. He was still pretty bitter about having to change schools, so he kept to himself and didn't survey his classmates like he ordinarily would. As he walked down the hallway, he would get weird looks from other students. Being the new kid sucked. At least the day was almost over.

His last class of the day was computer science. Castiel was actually looking forward to this elective. He knew next to nothing about the inner-workings of computers and he was eager to learn.

He walked into the computer lab and found that the computers were arranged in a U shape along three walls. On the fourth wall was the teacher’s desk; a white board hanging on the wall behind it. He took a seat at a computer near the door. While more students shuffled in and took their seats, Castiel checked his phone. He opened a snapchat of one of his old teachers’ faces zoomed in as far as the app would allow it. He chuckled and sent a picture of his shoes back to Balthazar. Castiel wasn’t entirely sure what the phone policy was here, so he tried to keep his phone out of sight.

While he was sending that snapchat, someone came in and sat next to him, kicking his feet up on the table. Castiel jumped a little at the sudden movement. He looked over and almost laughed at the student. He had a shaggy mullet, torn jeans, and a red flannel with the sleeves ripped off. 

“Ash,” the kid said as an introduction. 

“Uh, Castiel,” he replied.

“Well, Uh-Castiel, are you ready to learn all the wonders of the technological world?” The kid asked. Castiel was saved from having to answer because at that moment the teacher walked in and hushed the students. 

“Ok, in this unit, we will be learning about Computing and Data Analysis,” he picked up a book and started reading from it. “You guys will explore how computing has facilitated new methods of managing and interpreting data...” the teacher droned on. He probably said more, but Castiel zoned out. After a few minutes had passed, the teacher walked up to Castiel. 

“Hello, I'm Mr. Shurley,” he said, “Welcome to Lawrence High. The material we're covering in class is built on the previous units. I'll help you catch up as much as I can, but if you need additional instruction, you can ask Ash here,” he informed Castiel, clapping Ash’s shoulder twice. The kid smiled back at him and gave him the ‘rock on’ hand sign. 

After the final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, Castiel packed his things and headed out to his car. As he made his way out the front door, a voice called for his attention. He turned to see a lanky, blond boy.

“Samandriel?” He asked, confused.

_First Grade_

_“Hey, my name’s Samandriel! Do you wanna be friends?” A small boy asked. Castiel stared back at him for a moment before smiling. He wasn't aware first graders usually didn't play with kindergarteners._

_“Yes! Best friends! My name’s Castiel,” he replied enthusiastically._

_“You can play with my trucks with me, if you want,” Samandriel offered, referencing the toys scattered around the sandbox._

“Yeah, Castiel, it's me! What are you doing here?” Castiel’s old friend asked. 

“I, uh, I just moved here,” he replied, having been pulled out of his reverie. He never thought he'd see Samandriel again. Not after...well, he just didn't expect this. 

“Well, welcome to Lawrence! How've you been? We haven't seen each other since…” Samandriel trailed off, trying to recall their last encounter. 

“The summer before sophomore year,” Castiel answered, “it would've been freshman year for you,” he added. Samandriel’s eyes lit up at the memory of their friendship. 

“Uh, Alfie?” A boy asked from behind Cas' old friend. “Who's that?” The boy asked, stepping up and putting a possessive arm around his boyfriend. He eyed Cas warily. 

“Oh! Where are my manners? Sam, this is my old friend Castiel; Castiel, this is my boyfriend Sam,” he filled the two boys in. Castiel felt a confusing mixture of happiness, jealousy, and guilt. He pushed the last two emotions down and focused on the happiness. He smiled at the brown haired boy and offered his hand to shake. Sam shook the offered hand and gave a quick, forced smile. 

The reunion was cut short when another person walked up to the three boys. 

“Hey, Sammy, have you seen Charlie anywhere?” The boy asked. Castiel focused on the newcomer and was instantly entranced. He was probably the most gorgeous man Castiel had ever seen. He had short, dirty blond hair and he was maybe an inch or two taller than Castiel. He was rather built from what Cas could see through the tee and the unbuttoned plaid shirt. But what really took his breath away was the boy’s eyes. They were a piercing green that Castiel could look into forever and never tire of the color. 

He shook his head of those thoughts and tried to focus on the conversation happening in front of him. 

Castiel was confused; did he just call Samandriel ‘Sammy’? Who was this guy? To Castiel’s surprise, Samandriel’s boyfriend answered the attractive boy’s question. 

“No, I thought she was with you,” Sam replied. The boy rolled his eyes and turned his attention to Samandriel. 

“Have you seen her, Alfie?” He asked hopefully. The boy just shook his head and looked at him with apologetic eyes. That was when Castiel piped up. 

“Wait...uh, Alfie?” He asked in a leading fashion, looking at his old friend for an answer. 

“Um, yeah. I go by Alfie here,” he revealed sheepishly. His boyfriend gave him a weird look. 

“Wait, what do you mean you ‘go by Alfie’? Isn't that your name?” Sam asked. 

“Uh, well…” Alfie/Samandriel looked quite uncomfortable at this point, “my real name is Samandriel, but when I moved here I started going by Alfie,” he explained. After that revelation came uproarious laughter from the attractive boy. Castiel just melted at his laugh. He almost wanted to join in, but he quickly collected himself before he could do anything embarrassing. 

“Oh, man, Sammy this is _rich_! You don't even know your boyfriend’s real name!” The attractive boy said through laughter. 

“Shut up, Dean!” Sam said. The boy, Dean, just kept laughing. 

“Plus, your names are both Sam!” Dean was truly loving this. 

“Whatever, can we just go home?” Sam asked, his cheeks rather pink. 

“Yeah, as soon as I find-” he was cut off by a perky redhead linking arms with him. 

“Sorry I'm late, my locker got stuck,” the girl explained, “are you guys ready to go?” She asked. 

“Yeah,” Sam said curtly, quickly walking towards the parking lot. Dean shrugged and followed him. The redhead, who Castiel assumed must be Charlie, kept her arm linked with Dean’s as they caught up with Sam.

“It was nice to see you again, Castiel,” Samandriel said. 

“You too. Um, do you want me to call you Samandriel or Alfie?” Cas asked. 

“Oh, uh...I mean, would you mind too much calling me Alfie?” He asked timidly. 

“Of course not. I'll see you around?” Castiel responded. 

“Yeah! Of course. I have to...go,” Alfie said, turning and swiftly catching up to the group. 

Castiel went over everything that just happened while he made his way to the car. As he climbed into his vehicle, he remembered how Charlie had been hanging off Dean’s arm. 

He sighed dejectedly. All the pretty ones were taken. 


	3. Life is Pain; Anyone Who Says Differently is Selling Something

As soon as they stepped through the front door, Sam led Alfie upstairs and Charlie dragged Dean downstairs. The boys went to their rooms without so much as a hello to their mother. 

“Hey mom, what's up?” Mary impersonated her sons jokingly, “oh nothing, boys. How were your days?” She shook her head and returned her focus to preparing dinner. 

“Hey, Alfie,” Sam got his boyfriend’s attention as they worked on their Geometry homework, “how do you know Castiel?” He prodded. Alfie looked up with surprise in his eyes. 

“Oh, um...we met when I was a kindergartener in Chicago. We were best friends until I moved here,” he answered, returning his attention to the problem he was solving. 

“Why did he call you Samandriel?” Sam asked, not bothering to attempt his homework. 

“That's my name. I thought we covered this at the school,” Alfie said with an amused smile, never looking up from his paper. 

“Well I mean, you two were obviously close, how come he didn't know everyone here calls you Alfie? You moved here about two years ago, right? Why did you two lose touch?” Sam prodded further. 

“Something happened before I moved,” Alfie said, getting a little uncomfortable with the topic. He tried to focus on the work in front of him but he couldn't. 

“What happened?” Sam asked quietly. When Alfie looked up at his boyfriend, he was met with those puppy dog eyes. Nobody could resist those things. Alfie glanced nervously at the open door. He stood up and closed it gently before turning to Sam. 

⚣

“So, Dean who were you talking to after school?” Charlie asked, a teasing note in her voice. The teens swung their backpacks off their shoulders and unceremoniously tossed them by the dresser. Dean knew he was not going to enjoy the next five minutes of his life. 

“Who? Sam and Alfie? I would hope you already knew those two,” Dean quipped. 

“Not _them_. The dreamy one,” she said, looking off into the distance and sighing dramatically. 

“Charlie, you're gay,” Dean said in amusement. 

“I can look; I just don't touch,” she admitted. 

“I don't think Gilda would appreciate hearing about this,” Dean teased, trying to get the focus off of him.

“Gilda lives in Maine. She doesn't need to know. We aren't even together. Yet. Besides, this isn't about me. While I was walking towards you, you were totally giving him _the look_ ,” she said with a wink. 

“What look? I don't have a look!” Dean denied. Charlie just shook her head in the way a mother might if she had come home to find the kitchen - and her children - looked as though a flour bomb had gone off. Charlie took a seat on Dean’s bed. 

“Keep telling yourself that,” she said, leaning back and closing her eyes. 

Dean tried to let the comment go, he really did. He tried to forget it as they pulled out their homework. He tried to forget it when he copied Charlie’s answer for number one. He tried to forget it as he stared blankly at his textbook, pretending to look for answers. 

“What look? Tell me why my look is special,” he demanded of Charlie. 

“I don't know Dean, you just gave him a _look_. It's hard to explain,” she said, “but I could tell you were totally into him,” she teased. 

“I don't even know his name, Charlie,” Dean admitted. 

“Whose name?” 

“Damn it Sam! Don't you know not to eavesdrop on people?” Dean barked. 

“Well then don't leave your door open,” the little brother shot back. 

“You know very well mom makes us keep our doors open when we have company,” Dean said, annoyed at the invasion of his privacy. 

“Why? Does she think you and Charlie are gonna hook up? Mom knows Charlie’s gay,” Sam said. 

“What do you want, Sam?” Dean asked. 

“Mom wants you guys up for dinner,” he said before turning on his heel, “and by the way, his name is Castiel,” he added before fully exiting Dean’s room. 

“How does he know who we were talking about?” Dean asked quietly. 

“The look!” Sam yelled from the stairs. Charlie busted out laughing. 

⚣

“Is anybody home?” Castiel yelled as he entered the house. When his only reply was silence, he checked the garage to make sure neither car was parked there. Yep. He was alone. He went upstairs and threw his backpack to the floor as soon as he entered his room. 

He would admit that even though he despised Naomi for making him move, he had to give her props for buying a house with two master bedrooms. While his parents’ was at the top of the stairs directly to the left, his was down at the end of the hallway. There was a nook with a lower ceiling that sort of acted like its own hallway right in front of the door. The rest of the room opened up slightly to the left. They didn’t have an attic, so all the upstairs rooms had pitched ceilings. His room was directly above the garage, so it stuck out on its own. 

Across from the back wall, looking over the driveway were two large, rectangular windows parallel with each other; and two smaller, weirdly shaped windows above them. It gave the appearance of a cross in the space between the widows. He tried not to think about that too much. Castiel centered his queen-size bed in front of the windows because they had a nice ledge he could put his things on while he was sleeping. On the left side of his room was his own en suite and one walk-in closet. On the right side was another walk-in. It was a nice setup. 

Even though he was alone, he still shut his door behind him. 

He promised Balthazar that he'd talk to him after his first day at the new school. He still had boxes to unpack, but he figured those could wait. He pulled out his laptop and connected to Skype. 

His thoughts wandered to Dean. Was he going to tell Balthazar about him? Or was it too early to even mention the guy? Castiel didn't even know if Dean knew his name. He decided that it was, indeed, too soon to say anything to his friend. 

“Took you long enough,” Balthazar teased when the call connected. Castiel rolled his eyes and cracked a joke in return. “So how's Lawrence High?” Balthazar asked. 

“It was...actually not as bad as I thought it was going to be. The morning really sucked because I didn't know anybody, and passing periods were very awkward. I could feel them staring at me, Balthazar,” Castiel retold. 

“Yes, imagine _my_ first day of middle school. New kid in a new country with a weird accent. The novelty of your newness will wear off eventually,” Balthazar soothed. 

“Gee, thanks,” Castiel replied sarcastically. “There was this one kid in my computer class that was...interesting,” Castiel told his friend with a laugh. 

“That's good news. Did you meet anyone else?” His friend asked innocently. Castiel couldn't help that his mind went straight to Dean. He also couldn't help that Balthazar knew him so well. 

“I'll take that look as a yes. Tell me about him,” his friend prompted. He raised his eyebrows expectantly when Castiel didn't start talking immediately. 

“There's not much to say,” Castiel deflected. 

“Rubbish! Castiel, you know full well that I won't let this go. Who is he?” He repeated. 

“How do you know it's a he?” Castiel challenged. He relented at the look Balthazar gave him, though. “His name is Dean and I don't even know if he knows my name,” Castiel revealed. 

“Ahh, pining at its finest,” Castiel protested against the statement but Balthazar just kept talking, “I haven't seen that look on your face since…” He trailed off, not wanting to open that can of worms unless Castiel was prepared for it. 

“Since Samandriel?” Castiel finished for his friend. “Yeah, uh, guess who goes to Lawrence High,” Castiel said. 

“No bloody way,” Balthazar said, “does Michael know?” His friend asked in a hushed tone. 

“I don't think so. I haven't seen Michael since Christmas. I'm not sure he even knows our address, let alone who attends my high school,” Castiel said. 

“So did you just see him or did you talk to him?” Balthazar asked. 

“He actually talked to me. He was waiting outside the doors after school. I assume he was waiting for Dean-” Castiel was interrupted by his friend. 

“Wait, is he dating Dean? Oh man, Cassie, this is-”

“Balthazar,” Castiel cut him off, “he's not dating Dean. He's dating Dean’s brother. They were waiting for Dean to give them a ride,” Castiel still squirmed in his seat a little bit, which did not go unnoticed by his friend. 

“What else aren't you telling me?” Balthazar asked. 

“Well, I think Dean has a girlfriend,” Castiel said dejectedly. 

“All the pretty ones do, Cassie. What makes you think that?” Balthazar asked gently. 

“Well, I was talking to Saman-well he goes by Alfie now, I guess. Anyway, Dean came up to us looking for a girl named Charlie and she showed up later and linked arms with him and basically dragged him to his car,” Castiel said.

“And you don’t think maybe they’re just good friends?” Balthazar suggested hopefully. Castiel deserved something nice, and if that thing was a cute boy, then so be it.

“Don’t mock my pain,” Castiel groused, “it didn’t look like they were just good friends,” he sighed melodramatically.

“Life is pain, Cassie. Anyone who says differently is selling something,” Balthazar quipped.

“Did you just quote _The Princess Bride_ to me?” Castiel asked.

“Just trying to stay positive,” Balthazar admitted, “is there anything else? What was that kid from History class’s name?” He asked.

“Oh, his name is Kevin. He’s in all my AP classes, too. That kid always has his nose in a book. I’m surprised he took a break long enough to have a conversation. He’s hilarious, too.” Cas said.

“I’m not sure I trust your gauge on humor, Cassie,” Balthazar said.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Castiel asked, mock offended.

“Your humor is a little...peculiar,” Balthazar mentioned.

“I'll pretend you didn't say that,” Castiel ribbed, “I think you'd like it too, Balthazar. It’s kind of in that dry humor sort of way. It cracks me up,” Castiel said with a small laugh, “it just catches me off guard every time.”

“Well, that’s good to hear. Things are pretty boring around here without you,” Balthazar said.

“It’s Chicago. What do you mean it’s boring? There’s tons of shit you can do there. Are you finally settling down?” Castiel teased.

“Pshh, you couldn’t get me to behave if you tried,” he quipped right back. “It’s just a little weird not being able to wander the city with you,” He said. Castiel silently agreed. It had only been one day since he was in his hometown, but he still hated the thought of not being able to hit the town with Balthazar. 

“Maybe my dad and Naomi will let me visit over the summer,” Castiel said lightheartedly. It was a longshot, but weirder things have happened.

“Have fun with _that_ conversation. ‘Hey Naomi, can I go 600 miles away to hang out with that one friend I always got into trouble with?’ ‘Sure honey, go right ahead’,” Balthazar joked. 

“Don’t be unrealistic, Balthazar. She’d never call me ‘honey’,” he quipped. They laughed at the thought of that conversation. 

Castiel heard the garage door open, and suddenly, he wasn't in such a great mood. Balthazar must have noticed as well because when Cas looked back at the screen, he could tell Balthazar was worried. 

“What's wrong, Cassie?” He asked. 

“Uh, nothing. The garage door opened. I'm pretty sure it's Naomi. I wasn't looking out the window when they pulled up so I'm not sure,” he said, glancing toward said window as if it would help now. 

“Well, calm down, Cassie. It's just one of your parents,” Balthazar appeased. 

“Yeah...it's just we were talking about Alfie and Dean I guess I just don't want them to know I'm…” Castiel looked around and pulled out an earbud to listen carefully for any footsteps ascending the stairs. When he heard none, he continued, “you know...gay,” he whispered. Balthazar nodded in understanding. 

After Castiel’s father married Naomi, the pair started spending less time at Castiel’s house, and more time at Balthazar’s apartment...or even out on the town. The Brit hated that Naomi made Castiel's house feel...different. It wasn't as welcoming or inviting anymore. Balthazar never felt like he could be himself around Naomi the way he could around Castiel's actual mother. That didn’t mean he wasn’t his usual self around Castiel’s family (especially Michael), just that he didn’t get the same feedback as he used to. 

“Do you want to switch to texting, then?” Balthazar asked. 

“No, it's fine...let's just change the subject. Tell me what's been happening with you,” Castiel said. Balthazar could say whatever he wanted, Castiel was wearing headphones. 

“Well, it's only been a day so not much has changed. Although, my dad _was_ a little surprised to see me home from school so early,” he said with a chuckle.

“Yeah, I guess I'm not there to talk you into buying us smoothies,” Castiel joked. After another hour of video chatting, Balthazar ended the conversation by claiming he needed to ‘shower and eat, but not necessarily in that order’. Castiel smiled and said goodbye before closing his laptop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Couldn't resist the Princess Bride reference!


	4. Movie Night Part 1

A week in Kansas proved to be quite difficult for Castiel. While Ash and he developed a fun banter during class, and he was getting reacquainted with Alfie, he didn’t really talk to them - or anybody - outside of school. His dad spent most of his time away on business, and his closest friend was eight hours away, so he was trapped in the house with Naomi every night.

But on Friday afternoon, Alfie caught Castiel as the junior was heading to his car.

“Hey, Castiel, do you want to hang out with Sam and me for a while? We were gonna go to his house and watch movies,” he proposed.

“Yeah, and my mom’s cooking is the best, you have to have it!” Sam added hopefully. Castiel smiled at his two friends. He thought it over briefly and agreed. Anything would beat another night in with his stepmother. 

He pulled out his cell phone and texted his father that he would be at a friend’s house until late tonight. His father texted back his acknowledgement and a reminder to make curfew at half past midnight a few minutes later. Alfie and Sam rode with Castiel to the Winchester household.

When he pulled into the driveway he held back Alfie as Sam proceeded inside. 

“Uh, hey...I’m not gonna beat around the bush. I know you’re out of the closet here, obviously since you and Sam are dating, but I’m not out to anyone. I _can’t_ come out. So if our past gets brought up, can you just say we were close friends? I’d really appreciate it,” Castiel asked nervously. Alfie looked a little stunned at the sudden change of pace and the desperate look in Castiel’s eyes, but he agreed nonetheless. Castiel let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. Alfie climbed out of the car and caught up with his boyfriend.

“Hey, Sam, uh...Castiel doesn’t want anyone to know about his and my past so if you could act like I didn’t tell you about his and my past, that would be great. I didn’t know he wasn’t out when I told you. I’d never out anybody on purpose. Oh, I feel so bad now,” Alfie rattled off.

“Hey, hey, calm down. I’ll pretend I don’t know about you two. I’ll even act like I don’t know he’s gay if you want me to,” Sam joked. He smiled to himself when he saw a bit of the tension dissipate from his boyfriend’s shoulders. 

Back in the car, Castiel nodded to himself before unbuckling his seatbelt and following Alfie inside.

“So what do you guys want to watch?” Sam asked, scrolling through the titles on Netflix. The boys were in the den downstairs. Alfie and Castiel claimed the two leather recliners and Sam sprawled out on one of the matching black couches. 

Half an hour into their movie of choice, they heard the front door open. 

“Anybody home?” Yelled the person at the door. 

“Yeah, we're down here!” Sam called back. They heard two sets of feet clamber down the half-flight of stairs. 

“Hey Sammy. I wasn’t expecting you to be home yet. Do you know where mom is?” Dean asked. Charlie stepped into the room right behind him. Dean surveyed the room and noticed two people in the two recliners. He recognized Alfie right away, but it took a second to realize who was occupying the second chair. Charlie must've realized who it was as well because when Dean looked back at her she had a mischievous grin on her face. 

“I think she's picking up ingredients for dinner,” Sam said, “we're having burgers,” he revealed with a smile. Dean smiled as well. He loved his mom’s burgers. When he looked back at Charlie, he recognized all the signs that she was about to embarrass him. 

“Does she know she's cooking for six?” Dean asked, hoping to conclude this conversation quickly. 

“I don't know,” Sam replied. 

“I'll text her,” Dean said as he ushered Charlie out of the room before she could say anything to (or about) a certain blue eyed boy. 

When they crossed the hall and shut his door (Mary’s rule be damned) Dean pointed a stern finger at her. 

“Don't even think about it,” Dean warned. 

“Think about what?” Charlie asked coyly. She giggled as if she knew something Dean didn't. She fell back on Dean’s bed, the springs creaking in protest at the sudden weight. 

“You know very well _what_ , Bradbury. If Castiel is staying for dinner, you are not allowed to do anything funny, alright?” Dean demanded in a hushed tone as he pulled out his phone and double checked with his mother that she was picking up enough food for six people. 

“What do you mean by _funny?_ ” Charlie teased. She took on a fake-sweet voice, placing her hand on her chest, almost imitating a southern bell, “you couldn’t possibly mean that I could _embarrass_ you around Castiel. How _ever_ could I hold that power over you? You wouldn’t happen to have a _crush_ on him, would you?” 

Dean’s ears steadily turned pink throughout Charlie’s little teasing session. “Shut up,” Dean denied weakly. 

⚣

When Castiel heard the front door open and a voice call out, his heart beat started racing. He recognized that voice. When the boy attached to that voice reached the bottom of the stairs and peeked into the den, Castiel willed himself not to look right away. When he finally did turn around, though, he was thoroughly disappointed. Of course Dean had brought Charlie home again. On a friday. When he didn’t think anyone would be home. Was the world really this cruel?

Castiel returned his eyes to the television without really focusing on the screen. His thoughts went straight back to Dean...and Charlie. Castiel was not the type of person to come between two people. He didn’t even know if Dean was interested in him...or boys. Plus, even if Castiel _could_ have Dean, he couldn’t be public about it, lest Naomi catch on and throw Castiel out. Then, to make things even the slightest bit more difficult, add in the fact that he was the new kid in school. Castiel knew that rumors spread like wildfire among teenagers, and Castiel was paranoid that people would notice that Dean had broken up with his girlfriend, started hanging out with Castiel, and put two and two together. The boy crossed his legs on the footrest and resolved to think of something else.

That wasn’t as easy as it sounded. 

Against his better judgement, he strained to hear what was going on behind Dean’s closed door. He heard Dean’s hushed voice. He was speaking rather quickly. Then Castiel heard Charlie _giggle_ , and right after that, the sound of bedsprings announced to him that the couple had decided to move their ‘conversation’ to the bed. Castiel decided to stop trying to listen to what was going on behind that door. 

About an hour later, Mary called the kids to dinner. The five of them climbed up the stairs and filled the chairs around the dining table. 

Of course, it just so happened that Dean took a seat directly across from Castiel. And that Charlie was seated at one head of the table between himself and Dean. Alfie took a seat next to Cas, and Sam sat across from Alfie. After placing the last dish on the table, Mary took her spot at the opposite head of the table. 

A couple minutes into the meal, Mary decided to start a conversation. 

“So, Castiel is it? You're a new face at my table,” she observed. 

“Uh, yes ma'am,” he responded somewhat shyly. He hadn't had to meet anyone's parents in a long time. He might've forgotten the protocol for such an event. 

“Oh, no need to call me ma'am. Any friend of my boys is a friend of mine. Call me Mary, please,” she said. Castiel nodded and went back to eating his food. “So did you meet Sam at school?” she asked. 

“Castiel actually knew _Alfie_ from back when he used to live in Chicago,” Sam divulged. 

“Oh, well then, did you and Alfie used to go to school together?” She asked. 

“Uh, yes ma'am...I mean Mary. We actually met back in first grade, kindergarten for Alfie,” Castiel said. 

“Huh, it's a small world isn't it?” She said with a smile. 

“So, Castiel,” Charlie started conversationally, “how do you like Kansas so far?” she asked. Castiel smiled nervously and looked down at his plate. 

“Um, it’s nice here,” Castiel struggled to smile as everyone took in his news, obviously waiting for him to say more. “Honestly?” he continued, “I miss Chicago. It really is nice here, don't get me wrong, it's just...hard adjusting from a big city to a small town,” he said. 

“Well, it’ll come along when you get more settled. Alfie did it, so I'm sure you'll be fine...although, Alfie did have one advantage,” she said with a smirk. 

“Charlie!” Dean cut in. His face was slightly pink and Castiel wondered why. When Castiel glanced over at Sam, he saw the brothers were in similar states. 

“If you don't mind me asking...what was Alfie’s advantage?” Castiel asked, lost at the nonverbal language everyone else seemed to be fluent in. At this question, Alfie spoke up. 

“Sam and I became friends after I moved here. Then, a couple months ago, _more_ than friends,” he added sheepishly. Castiel nodded at the information. He swallowed thickly and resumed eating his dinner. Conversations carried on around him but he wasn't really paying attention. He distracted himself by catching glimpses of Dean when he thought no one was watching. The boy was unfairly attractive. 

After dinner, the brothers and their ‘dates’ raced downstairs to claim dibs on the best seating for a movie. Castiel started clearing the table, mostly out of habit than anything else. Mary came back from the kitchen to grab more dirty plates and noticed Castiel cleaning up. 

“Oh, honey, you don't have to do that, I'll be fine on my own,” Mary said. 

“No, it's fine. I'd feel weird if I just left it. Naomi makes me do the dishes after dinner all the time,” Castiel said, following Mary into the kitchen. They put the dishes into the sud-filled sink. Mary took to washing and Castiel found a cloth and started drying. 

“Who’s Naomi?” she asked.

“My step-mom,” Castiel explained.

“And she gets you to do the dishes every night? I wish she’d teach me how to get my boys to do that,” Mary joked. At Castiel’s off glance, Mary raised a suspicious eyebrow. 

“I do it so she doesn’t hate me even _more_ ,” Castiel replied, failing at his attempt to play it off as a joke. He finally made eye contact with Mary, noticing her skeptical look. “Bad joke?” Castiel tried brushing it off. Mary shook her head and resumed scrubbing the dishes. After a moment of silent cleaning between the two, she spoke up again.

“So what's the story behind you and Alfie?” Mary prompted. Castiel tried to deny it but stopped at the look he received from Mary. “You shut up pretty quick after Alfie mentioned his relationship with Sam,” she said. 

“Um, we were pretty close,” Castiel said. Technically, he wasn't lying. He just wasn't telling the whole truth. 

“Mhmm, well I'm not gonna wring it out of you. If you don't want to tell me, you don't have to,” she said, returning her attention to the task at hand. 

“Thanks,” Castiel said, looking up at her. When Mary turned to look at the boy, she saw genuine gratitude. After the last dish was dry, Castiel returned downstairs. 

“Hey, Cas. Where've you been?” Castiel was shocked that the person to greet him was Dean. He also paused at the nickname. He hadn't been called Cas in a long time. Balthazar preferred the pet name ‘Cassie’ and everyone else just used his full name. 

“I was helping Mary with the dishes,” he said. 

“Yeah, making us all look like chumps,” Sam jokingly complained. Castiel smiled somewhat stiffly. He looked around and noticed the only free spot was a place on the couch...next to Dean. Alfie and Sam took the armchairs and Charlie sprawled herself out along the other couch, obviously claiming the entire thing as hers. She smiled satisfactorily when Castiel sat down next to Dean. 

Castiel was confused. Wouldn't Charlie want to sit next to Dean? When he looked over at her, she had a smug grin on her face. Were Dean and she in a fight? Was this some kind of punishment for Dean? Castiel was growing more uncomfortable by the second. That was when his phone decided to go off, alerting him of an incoming text.

He thanked the heavens for his friend’s impeccable timing.

_> >> Hey, Cassie. How’s Hicktown? -Balthazar_

_< << It’s nowhere near as exciting as Chicago, but it’s not all bad. Btw your timing is amazing -Castiel_

_> >> Was that sarcastic? I can never tell with you over text -Balthazar_

_< << No, it was genuine -Castiel_

_> >> Oh, what’s going on? -Balthazar_

_< << Um, I’m sitting next to Dean, watching a movie… -Castiel_

_> >> And you WANTED an interruption?? -Balthazar_

_< << Well, we’re not alone. And I’m still fairly certain Dean and Charlie are a thing. She’s on the opposite couch -Castiel_

_> >> Sounds to me like you’re misinterpreting all of this, Cassie. Relax. Enjoy the view...and I’m not talking about the movie -Balthazar_

“Yo, Cas, did anyone ever tell you it’s impolite to have your phone out during a movie?” Asked a certain redhead.

“Oh, um...I’m sorry I didn’t realize-”

“Man, I’m just giving you a hard time. Don’t sweat it,” Charlie laughed at Castiel’s shell shocked look. “Who’re you texting anyway?” 

“My friend from Chicago. Balthazar,” he replied.

“Balthazar?” Said two voices in unison. Charlie exchanged a glance with Alfie. The young boy was trying to tune out the talking to focus on the movie, but he couldn’t help his outburst when Castiel said that name.

“Man, what’s with the names in Chicago?” Dean tried to joke. _Tried_ being the key word there; everyone just gave him a blank look.

“You two are still friends?” Alfie inquired, trying to sound uninterested.

“Uh, yeah. We never really stopped,” Castiel replied.

“Huh,” Alfie modulated. At this, the room fell into an uncomfortable silence. 

“I’m gonna go make popcorn. Castiel, would you mind assisting me?” Charlie said to break the tension. She quickly paced out of the room, pulling Castiel with her as she walked past the couch. When they were in the kitchen and out of earshot of the rest of them, she turned to face him.

“So is Batazar your boyfriend?” She asked bluntly, checking Castiel’s face for his reaction. 

“You mean Balthazar? No, we’re just friends,” Castiel told her. She pursed her lips in thought and turned to rummage through the pantry. She pulled out two bags of popcorn and opened one to put in the microwave. “Why do you assume we’re dating?” Castiel asked rather timidly.

“I don’t know. I just felt that someone like you would be taken,” she reasoned.

“Someone like me?” Castiel inquired.

“Yeah. Charming, cute, smart, funny, well-mannered. It’s hard to come by people like that. Believe me,” she said. As that bag of popcorn finished popping, she pulled it out of the microwave and threw it at Castiel. He caught it purely on instinct and poured the contents into the bowl Charlie placed in front of him. It smelled delicious. Charlie put the second bag in the microwave.

“Um...thanks? I guess,” Castiel replied. “Why do you assume I’m gay?” Castiel asked nervously, fearing that he was so easy to read. She just shrugged and gave him a once-over.

“I assume everyone is gay. That way, when they come out, I get to say that I knew it all along,” she joked. At Castiel’s obvious discomfort, she shifted gears. “Hey, what’s the matter?” She asked.

“I just, ah, look,” Castiel started, “you caught me. I am... _gay_ ,” he whispered the last word like it might run off and tell Naomi if he said it too loud. “But nobody - especially my step mother - can ever, _ever_ find out,” he finished. 

“Ah,” Charlie said upon realization, “you’ve got a homophobe on your hands, huh?” She said knowingly. “Well don’t worry. _Your secret is safe with me_ ,” she said the last sentence in a horrible russian accent while making the zipper motion over her lips. Castiel didn’t understand the reference to one of Charlie’s favorite movies _Stick It_. He didn’t have time to question it either as at that moment, the popcorn was finished popping and Charlie once again threw Castiel the bag to pour out while she salted the previous bowl.

⚣

After two and a half movies, almost everyone had passed out. Castiel could be found sound asleep with his head resting on his couch buddy’s shoulder. He didn’t mean for it to happen, he just zonked out and ended up using Dean as a pillow. Charlie most definitely would have snapped a picture had she been able to stay awake long enough for it to happen. Soon enough, though, Castiel was nudged out of dreamland. He yawned ferociously as he stretched his arms above his head. 

“Hey, Cas,” a voice to his right whispered.

“Hey,” he whispered back.

“Uh, would you be more comfortable in an actual bed? I could take the couch for the night. Unless you’d feel more comfortable sleeping out here with everyone else, then I could just go use my own bed I guess,” Dean stumbled through his suggestion. Castiel was ready to just sleep on the floor if he had to, but then he remembered something.

“Oh, shit! What time is it?” Castiel whispered, frantically looking for his phone. 

“Uh, almost two in the morning,” he replied.

“Shit shit _shit!”_ Castiel cursed as he stood up and ripped the couch cushion back in search of his phone. He heard a soft thud and picked his phone up from where it had been unceremoniously tossed in his haste to find it. 

“Is everything ok?” Dean asked. Castiel noticed five (that’s right _FIVE_ ) unanswered calls from Naomi, as well as an abundance of texts. 

“My step-mom is going to kill me,” Castiel said dejectedly. “Fuck!” He added to punctuate the severity of trouble he was going to be in when he got home.

“Can’t you just stay here for the night?” Dean suggested. 

“No!” Castiel said firmly. He winced at the volume and controlled himself before speaking again. “It’ll be worse if I stay than if I get home as soon as possible,” Castiel said, pacing towards the hallway and bounding up the stairs. Dean followed him to the front door. 

“Well, look, I don’t like my friends driving at this time, so if you could text me when you get home,” Dean said hopefully, taking Cas' phone and adding his number, “that would help me relax,” he finished typing in his contact and handed the phone back to Cas. 

“Uh, yeah. I’ll text you before I walk inside. I probably won’t have a phone after I enter my house,” Castiel sighed and resigned himself to the ass-chewing he would undoubtedly receive when he got home. Dean opened the door for him and waved as Cas pulled out of the driveway. 

Castiel’s grip on the steering wheel was making his knuckles white. He was almost _two hours_ past curfew. He was _not_ looking forward to his arrival home. He pulled into the driveway and cut his engine. He pulled out his phone and glanced from his phone to his front door. The feeling in the pit of his stomach only grew heavier. He focused his attention solely on his phone. 

_< << Made it home safely. Not so sure about my safety when I walk inside -Castiel_

Castiel reread his text about ten times, searching for any mistakes he might’ve made. Before he could think twice, he hit send. He let out a slow breath and watched as a small _‘delivered’_ appeared under his text. Almost as soon as it was sent, he received three dots in a gray bubble informing him of a formulating text. He smiled despite himself.

_> >> Well it’s good to know you’re home. If you still have your phone, I’d like to know about your health after you face your mom -Dean_

Castiel’s smile faltered at Dean’s use of the word ‘mom’. He knew Dean hadn’t really meant anything by it, but Castiel could not stand the thought of that woman being his mother.

_< << *step mom. She’s not my mother -Castiel_

_> >> oh, sorry. -Dean_

Castiel felt a twinge of guilt. He sent the correction before he really even thought about it.

_< << It’s fine, you didn’t know. I’m sorry if that came off as too harsh -Castiel_

_> >> It’s really not a problem. You should probably head inside though -Dean_

Castiel read the text and nodded. He really should be heading inside. He steeled himself and made his way to the front door. He felt more like a prisoner on death row than a teenager coming home after breaking curfew. He kept his head down as he made his way to the door.

He turned the handle and was shocked to find that the door was locked. He looked up at the door as he tried opening it once more. He noticed a small note hanging on the glass. He plucked it off the door and scanned it.

_Past curfew. Backdoor unlocked. If this happens again, I won’t be so gracious._

He stared at the note for a moment in complete and utter disbelief. ‘Gracious’? She locked him out of his own goddamn house! He didn’t mean to stay out so late, he just fell asleep. It wasn’t like he was waving his middle finger in her face (although he’d like to). She hadn't even let him explain himself. He crumpled up the paper and shoved it in his pocket as he made his way around the house. He let himself in through the back door and jumped when he noticed Naomi sitting at the table. She was absentmindedly toying with a ruler in her hand. They made eye contact for several long seconds, Cas too shocked to say anything. He had expected her to have gone to bed already. 

“Do you have any idea what time it is?” Naomi asked. Castiel blinked a few times. Was she seriously using that line on him?

“Yeah, I just fell asleep I didn’t-”

“I have been waiting for hours for you to come home,” Naomi stated, as if she were staying up just because she was worried. Castiel knew better. He knew she waited up for him because she liked to be in control, and if Naomi didn’t know where he was at all times, she wasn’t in control of him.

“I don’t need this Naomi, I know why you stayed up,” Castiel said.

“Because I was concerned about you,” she replied with an impressively straight face. Castiel gave a short laugh.

“You don’t care enough about me to wait for me to get home,” Cas spat back. 

“Castiel, you are under my roof. And while you are here, you will abide by _my_ rules,” she said, trying to gain the upper ground.

“And what if I don’t live here? What if I go move in with Balthazar?” Castiel proposed. Naomi leveled a glare at him. 

“That will _not_ be happening,” Naomi warned.

“Why not?” Castiel challenged. 

“Because I said so”.

“Stop with that utter bullshit,” Castiel said, clearly reaching the limits of his patience. 

“It is not bullshit, Castiel.You must learn to respect the rules. I cannot have a disobedient son,” she said.

“I’m not your son!” Cas threw back, leveling her with his own glare. 

“Maybe not biologically, but you will act like it!” Naomi demanded.

“And why the hell should I?” Castiel impugned. 

Naomi stood and thwacked the ruler on the table. The noise rang out sharply, bouncing off the walls for a moment. Once that faded, the house seemed quieter than ever. 

“Because if you don’t, this ruler will find someplace else to smack,” Naomi leered at Castiel. 

“What?” Castiel asked. Was she seriously insinuating that she would hit him with a ruler? Was he enrolled in a Catholic school, and he just failed to notice? 

“Growing up, I was taught that misbehavior earned disciplinary action. It’s about time you learned a lesson,” Naomi said sternly. Castiel took a step back. Sure, he’d been threatened with the ruler before, but it was never this serious. She had never actually been holding one. 

“Put your hand on the table,” Naomi commanded. Castiel took another step back. 

“What? No, I’m not doing that,” Castiel refused. She took a step towards him. 

“The more you refuse, the worse it’s going to be,” she said. Castiel’s mind was bouncing off the walls. Was this really happening? Was Naomi actually going to hit him with a ruler? Surely this was just a dream. He was still at Dean’s house and he just happened to have dozed off. This wasn’t real. Castiel knew this was an old trick up the catholic-school’s sleeve. Naomi was sent to one as a child, and she had threatened many times to send Castiel to one, too. But, surely this wasn’t actually happening to him right now. 

Except it was. Naomi walked towards him slowly, maintaining eye contact until she was standing right next to him. She roughly grabbed his wrist and pinned it to the table. He tried to resist, but he felt like he was in a dream. He wasn’t reacting fast enough to anything. Castiel looked quickly between the ruler and his hand. Naomi slowly raised her arm.

“Wait, wait, I- ow!” Castiel tried to plead before Naomi struck down on his hand. She did it again twice before releasing it from her grasp. He quickly recoiled and gingerly held his left hand in his right. They made eye contact again, Castiel’s eyes confused and hurt, Naomi’s cold and austere. He took two large steps back, not about to let her grab him again. 

“Set your keys on the table and go to your room,” she said, leaving no room for argument. “I’ll leave a list of chores for you to do in the morning. You can have your keys back once you’ve completed them,” Castiel was too shell-shocked to disobey. He placed his keys on the table and climbed the stairs to his room feeling completely numb, aside from the sting in his hand. 

When he was changed into pajamas and settled under his covers, he unlocked his phone and pulled up Dean’s contact. He decided not to tell Dean everything, too embarrassed and shaken to admit to someone what had just happened. 

_< << Looks like Naomi went to bed. I got a letter saying to leave my keys on the table -Castiel_

_> >> That’s total bullshit. She didn’t even let you explain yourself -Dean_

_< << Tell me about it! She always pulls this kind of shit -Castiel_

_> >> Would she ever actually lock you out? -Dean_

_< << I wouldn’t put it past her -Castiel_

_> >> Hey, at least she didn’t take your phone -Dean_

_< << yeah, that was surprising. I’m not entirely sure she’ll let me keep my phone tomorrow though -Castiel_

_> >> well we can hope -Dean_

Castiel smiled softly at his phone. For some reason the word _we_ comforted him just a little. He took a deep breath and sent off one more text. 

_< << Yeah, I should probably get some sleep if I want to get through tomorrow -Castiel_

_> >> Yeah that’s a good idea. Talk to you on Monday at the latest. Goodnight, Cas -Dean_

_Goodnight Cas._ He felt his cheeks heat up ever so slightly as he read and reread the text again and again. As much as Castiel wanted to keep these messages, he knew if Naomi took his phone, she’d go through it and then he’d really be in trouble. He deleted the conversation and plugged his phone in. Castiel pulled up his covers and tried not to think about what he was going to have to put up with tomorrow. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like always, kudos and comments are much appreciated!


	5. You Don't Have to Shop at Gordmans to Get Something Unexpected

Castiel was wiping down the countertops in the kitchen when Naomi showed up. He could feel her gaze, but he refused to turn around and face her. Maybe if he just ignored her, she'd go away. 

Fat chance. 

She cleared her throat in a way that reminded Castiel of Professor Umbridge from Harry Potter. He closed his eyes and tried not to get too heated before the conversation even started. 

“Castiel,” Naomi called out after she realized he wasn't going to respond to anything less than actual words. He took a deep breath and turned to face her. 

“What?” He said, failing to keep most of the venom out of his voice. Her eyebrows shot up at the tone in her stepson’s response. 

“I could do without the attitude,” she started. “You do know why I'm punishing you, correct?” She inquired. 

“Yeah, you're punishing me - quite unfairly I might add - because I _accidentally_ fell asleep at my friend’s house, which is something you didn't let me explain,” he told her. 

“I'm punishing you because you broke curfew. You didn't have a chance to explain yourself because I don’t tolerate excuses,” she said, “I don't get it. Michael was never like this,” she added quietly. 

“Oh, yes! Because Michael’s your favorite and I pale in comparison to everything he's done! I'm not allowed to make a few mistakes because you swooped in _after_ he got over his rebellious phase,” Castiel spat out. 

“Young man, I will not have this discussion. A mother never chooses a favorite child."

“You're not my mother,” Castiel said, clenching his fists. 

“Maybe not biologically, but you will treat me with the respect I deserve,” she commanded of him. 

“Aren't you the one that always says respect has to be _earned?_ ” Castiel asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I will not stand here and be disrespected!” She yelled. 

“Then leave!” Castiel shouted right back. 

“Hey, hey, hey, what's going on in here?” A voice interrupted. Neither Naomi nor Castiel broke eye contact to look at Bartholomew. 

After a few moments, Castiel brushed passed his father and headed up to his room. He heard Naomi start to explain the situation, but he didn't stick around long enough to actually hear anything she said. 

⚣

“Dean, wake up!” Charlie threw a pillow at her friend from the comfort of her own couch. 

“What?” Dean asked. Believe it or not, he'd rather _not_ have a pillow smacking his face as a wake up call. “What time is it?”

“I dunno. Probably like ten,” she guessed. Dean rubbed his eyes and looked towards the recliners. Sam and Alfie must've gone on a jog or something equally as terrible. 

“You want some cereal or something?” He asked as he swung his legs over the edge of the couch. 

“I was thinking waffles,” Charlie replied, getting up and following Dean to the kitchen. 

As they loaded their waffles with syrup, Charlie spoke up, “so where's Cas?”

“Uh, he had to leave. Something about breaking curfew,” Dean responded, trying to sound nonchalant. 

“Hmm. That's too bad. What time did he sneak out?” She asked, taking a bite of her breakfast. 

“Almost two,” he replied quietly. Charlie’s face fell.

“Oh shit. That's the same time-” 

“Yeah, I know,” Dean interrupted. He really didn’t want to bring that up first thing in the morning. Charlie recognized the interruption for what it was, and proceeded with her next question with caution.

“Well, did you ask if he wanted to just stay here for the night?”

“Yeah, but he said he’d be in even more trouble if he stayed over,” Dean recounted. 

“I don’t get parents like that,” Charlie judged, “they’d rather have their kid driving out at a dangerous time than let them stay the night where they know they’ll be safe."

“Yeah, I don’t get it either,” he agreed.

“What am I hearing about Castiel?” Mary asked as she walked into the kitchen. She was wearing her scrubs, obviously getting ready to head to her shift.

“Uh, he left last night...well early this morning really. Something about his step-mom being upset with him staying out,” Dean explained. 

“I was meaning to ask you...what’s up with his step-mother...Naomi, is it?”

“I’m not really sure, but I’ve gathered that they do not get along,” Dean said.

“I think she’s just really uptight,” Charlie supplied. Mary nodded in solemn understanding.

“Well, I’m off to work. Stay out of trouble, you two,” she instructed, pointing an accusatory finger at the pair. The teens protested but she just laughed her way out the door. Once Mary’s car was out of the driveway, Charlie spoke up.

“So you’re telling me that my plan didn’t work?” 

“What plan?” Dean asked warily. He never liked it when Charlie came up with a ‘plan’. 

“You think I needed that whole couch to myself?” Charlie asked incredulously. It took Dean a moment to fully understand what she meant, but when he did, he let out a sigh and shook his head disapprovingly. 

“You rigged the seating arrangement so Cas would have to sit next to me.” Dean stated more than asked.

“Yeah, and it was all for naught,” Charlie pouted into her next bite of waffle. 

“Well, he _did_ fall asleep on me,” Dean admitted nonchalantly. Charlie almost spit out her breakfast at those words. 

“He _what?_ That’s amazing, oh my god! Why didn’t I see that? That would’ve been so _cute!_ I can’t believe I fell asleep. I _knew_ I should’ve made you stop for coffee on our way to your house!” Charlie babbled, nearly incoherent. Dean could feel his ears heating up. They needed to change topics right now.

“It wasn’t that big of a deal. And you drink _way_ too much coffee. How many cups a day do you consume? I bet it’s not a healthy number,” Dean speculated. 

“I don’t need your condescension about my coffee consumption,” Charlie barked back. Dean raised his hands in defense and tucked back into his waffles. They both finished their breakfast in silence, choosing to eat their waffles before the syrup made them too soggy. When they were both finished, Charlie spoke up. 

“Do you want to go somewhere and hang out? Oh, we could show Cas around Kansas! I bet he hasn’t gotten the chance to see much of it. Please, please, pleeeease,” Charlie begged. Dean thought it over briefly for a moment before rolling his eyes. If Charlie really wanted something, she got it. He was not strong enough to say no to her; he didn’t think there was anyone who could accomplish such a feat. He shrugged his shoulders and surrendered, knowing he’d save energy doing so. He was going to need all the energy he could get if he was spending the day with Charlie. 

“Fine,” he conceded. 

“Yay! You text him, and I’ll go use the bathroom,” Charlie said, already heading off to at least run a brush through her hair. 

⚣

Castiel was fuming. Who did she think she was, stomping around, treating Cas like that? He could deal with a few chores, but stooping so low as to compare him to _Michael?_ That was something Cas was not willing to forgive easily. He paced around his room and finally decided he needed to vent if he wanted to keep from exploding. Picking up his phone, he decided to text Balthazar about the spat. 

After fifteen minutes of aggressive typing and probably too much caps lock, Castiel had recounted and reflected on the action in the kitchen. Balthazar offered to drive over and take Cas away, which earned a small smile and a longing to go back to Chicago. Castiel thanked Balthazar for putting up with his rant and decided to putter around on his laptop. Given that Naomi had his keys and he didn’t want to run the risk of facing either of his parents, he stayed holed up in his room and wasted time on his computer. 

About an hour into the tutorial side of youtube, Castiel heard a soft knock on his door. He sighed and paused his video. 

“Come in,” he called out. Bartholomew pushed open the door and walked into his bedroom. His hands were neatly folded behind his back. He stood a few feet from his bed and inhaled deeply.

“Hey, kiddo. Naomi told me what happened. I think she might have overreacted just a little bit,” he stated.

“Ya think?” Castiel said under his breath. His father gave him a look that asked him to play nice. Castiel wiped the humor off his face. 

“She should've let you explain yourself before punishing you,” he said, “she’s had a rough week with the move and the negotiations going on at work,” he explained for her. Castiel could believe that she would use him as a scapegoat for her own daily-life stress. That didn’t make it even an ounce acceptable. 

“Here,” he offered an object in his hand.

“My keys?” Castiel inquired, taking the lanyard from him and revering them like they might disappear any minute. 

“Does this mean I can go out?” Castiel chanced. 

“I believe it does. So long as you come home at a reasonable time,” he answered with a smile. “Maybe next time, just be extra careful around her. She’s going through a lot,” his father said. With that, he was out the door, and Cas was left sitting on his bed with his keys in his hands.

Did his father just say that _Naomi_ was the one going through a lot? And was he implying that Castiel had to be the one to give _her_ grace during this transition? Shouldn’t the adult be accommodating to the child? Utterly confused, Castiel shook himself out of it and set his keys on his nightstand. 

As he did so, he received a text. 

_> >> Hey do you wanna hang out with me and Charlie? -Dean_

_> >> if ur not still grounded, that is -Dean_

_< << uh, yeah. My dad just gave me my keys back so I’m free to go i guess -Castiel_

_> >> Sweet. Text me ur address and we’ll swing by -Dean_

Castiel did just that and quickly paced to his closet. He couldn’t leave his house in pajamas, after all.

When Dean picked him up, he said a quick farewell to anyone bothering to listen. He promised his father that he would be home at a totally reasonable time, and he planned to keep that promise come hell or high water.

After Charlie and Dean showed Castiel around the town, they decided to take him up to the capitol building. Then, having completed a tour of the foyer, Charlie suggested they go to the Sunset Zoo over in Manhattan. Dean shrugged and agreed on the stipulation that Charlie was to pay for the gas it took for the trip. Castiel just shrugged and climbed in the car behind the pair. 

If Castiel was being honest with himself, he was jealous of Charlie. Dean was giving her so much attention and the two seemed to have an endless amount of inside jokes that Castiel couldn’t even begin to decipher. Throughout their lunch time escapades, Castiel couldn't help but wish Dean paid as much attention to _him_ as he did to Charlie. Then he reprimanded himself for thinking such things. Of course Dean would focus on _her_ more, those two were dating...weren’t they? 

“Cas!” 

“Huh, what?” Castiel was taken aback by the volume of Dean’s voice. The boy just smiled and shared a glance with Charlie. 

“I asked if you've ever been to a zoo before,” Dean repeated. 

“Oh, sorry. I was ...elsewhere. To answer your question, yes. My mom used to take my brother and me to the Lincoln Park Zoo in the summer,” he smiled at the memories of his family. Michael and he used to get along wonderfully.

The trio climbed out of the car and headed to the gates of the zoo. 


	6. Movie Night 2: Return of the Awkwardness

As promised, Castiel arrived home well before the sun had set. He toed off his shoes and made his way up to his room. Waiting for him at the top of the stairs was Naomi, her arms folded over her chest. 

“Hello Naomi,” Castiel greeted unenthusiastically as he tried to pass her to get to his room. Before he could open his door, she spoke up. 

“You went all the way to Manhattan and decided not to tell us?” She asked in a leading fashion. 

“As long as I was back at a reasonable time, I didn't think it mattered,” he replied, turning to face her. 

“Well it does. You can't stray that far from home without telling anyone,” she informed him. Castiel was ten types of confused. He was not expecting to be ambushed the minute he got home. As he thought about what Naomi had said about straying too far, he furrowed his eyebrows and looked to the side before making direct eye contact with Naomi.

“How do you know I was out there anyway?” Castiel asked, getting more irritated by the second. 

“I'm asking the questions here,” she deflected. Castiel scoffed at that line. Did she have any original comebacks?

“What did you do...track my phone?” He asked jokingly. At her off glance, his jaw dropped. “Oh my god. You _tracked_ my _phone_?!” He yelled, determined to get to his room before either of them said anything else. He slammed his door behind him and tried to drown out Naomi’s shrill voice. 

On Monday at school, he ranted about Naomi’s intrusiveness to Ash during their computer class. Halfway through Castiel’s rant, Ash interrupted him. 

“Y’know, I could help you out if you want,” he suggested. 

“Really? How?” He asked eagerly. 

“I could modify the tracking device in your phone so you can manipulate it no matter where you are. You could be in Japan, but your stepmom would think you were in your room,” he said. 

“That would be absolutely amazing, Ash! You can really do that? I want to pay you for it,” Castiel said.

“Ah, no bueno, amigo. I don't use my superpowers for cash,” Ash declined. 

“At least let me buy you lunch,” Castiel offered. 

“Alright, since I know you won't let it go,” Ash acquiesced. Castiel thanked him again and they made plans to meet on Wednesday so Ash could tinker with Cas' phone. 

⚣

“So I’d classify that as a successful weekend,” Charlie said conversationally as she caught up with Dean in the hallway. 

“Yeah, I’d say the same. Maybe we can go for two in a row,” Dean hinted. Charlie gasped comically.

“Are you saying you want to invite Cas out with us more often? Because, believe me, Winchester, I am _way_ ahead of you,” she said.

“What do you mean ‘way ahead of me’?” Dean asked.

“Nothing,” Charlie said coyly, “I don’t want to be late for trig,” she said before turning into her first period class. Dean just shook his head and made his way to the Chemistry lab. As he walked in, his eyes swept over the people in the room and noticed someone new. He had to do a double-take just to make sure he wasn’t seeing things.

“Cas?” he called out. The blue eyed teen looked up from his phone to find his new friend looking back at him in confusion. Dean took a seat in the unoccupied stool next to Cas.

“Um, hello, Dean,” he greeted.

“I didn’t know you were in this class,” Dean said, slightly thrown. 

“I wasn’t. Until today. They messed up my schedule and put me in Biology. They have me in the correct classes now,” Castiel replied. 

“Oh. Well, welcome to chemistry, I guess,” Dean said, hoping for friendly enthusiasm, but ending up with slightly awkward avidity. 

“Well, I took chemistry at my old school, so it’s not really new to me,” and _why did he just say that._ Dean was obviously just being nice, there was no reason for him to point that out. And now Dean looked a little crestfallen and slightly embarrassed. Great. Before Castiel could stammer out an apology, the teacher addressed the class.

“Today we will be learning about molar volume,” she announced, much too chipper for eight o’clock in the morning. 

Dean ignored Mrs. Randall in favor of updating Charlie about his new classmate. 

_> >> guess who transferred into my chem class -Dean_

It took a good chunk of class time for Charlie to reply. Dean assumed she was too busy taking notes to check her phone. Nerd. With only about fifteen minutes remaining of the class period, Dean received a response. 

_< << no freaking way. you’re lying to me -Charlie_

_> >> I’m sitting right next to him -Dean_

_< << this is great. do you know what this means? -Charlie_

_> >> I’m afraid I don’t -Dean_

_< << don’t play dumb. Omg you should totally invite him over for a movie night or something -Charlie_

_> >> We just hung out. I don’t wanna seem too eager -Dean_

_< << Dean Winchester, you stupid, stupid boy. You don’t seem eager you seem NICE. I’ll come along, too, if you want -Charlie_

_> >> Actually, yes I do want you there -Dean_

_< << then it’s set. Now ask him -Charlie_

Dean glanced sideways to make sure Cas hadn’t been reading his texts over his shoulder. How embarrassing would _that_ have been? Sure enough, Castiel was taking notes like the straight-A student he was. After the teacher was finished with her lecture, she announced that there would be no homework. A few kids verbalized their approval and others gave audible sighs of relief. Dean turned to Castiel and caught a glimpse of the text conversation he was having with ‘Balthazar’. 

_< << I kid you not -Castiel_

_> >> well, it seems someone upstairs is testing you -Balthazar_

_< << testing me? -Castiel_

_> >> to see if you can still pass chem when you have someone like Dean there to distract you -Balthazar_

That’s all the farther Dean got before Cas exited out of his texts and pulled up a different app. Dean silently reprimanded himself for invading Cas' privacy. He knew that there was a slight blush in his cheeks and probably his ears, as well. What did Balthazar mean when he said ‘someone like Dean to distract you’. What was Dean like? How was he distracting Castiel? He shook his head of those thoughts and focused on what he had turned to Cas to ask. 

“Uh, hey Cas,” Dean grabbed his table mate’s attention, “are you free this weekend?” Dean asked, shooting for nonchalance. Cas' phone vibrated on the table between them and both pairs of eyes darted to the distraction. Before Dean could make out what was on the screen, Cas picked up his phone, glanced at the text, turned a shade pinker than when he started this conversation, promptly shoved his phone into his pocket, and nodded in reply to Dean’s question.

“Yeah, I think I’m free. If you’ll excuse me?” Cas trailed off before leaving his seat and asking the teacher for a hall pass. Dean looked around the room to see if anyone else found that exchange out of the ordinary. Nobody seemed to care about anything besides their own conversations. Dean pulled out his own phone and confirmed plans with Charlie. 

⚣

“Castiel, your father and I will both be out of town this weekend for work. We’re trusting you to be fine on your own for a couple of days,” Naomi informed him. Castiel would mark this date in history as the first time his parents sat him down in this chair and told him _good_ news. “Now, don’t think just because we’re gone that means you can do whatever you want. I expect you to keep this house clean. We’re putting a lot of trust in you, so I suggest you stick to the rules. This weekend will be somewhat of a trial run to see if your father and I can trust you to be on your own,” Naomi warned him.

“And what happens if you find out I’ve done something wrong?” Castiel tested.

“We’ll have to call Michael to come stay with you while we travel next time. I’m sure you don’t want to be babysat by your older brother, so I suggest you make the right choices,” she advised. Castiel nodded at her response. He was not going to risk misbehaving this weekend. Then he remembered the plans he made with Dean. 

“Would it be alright if I spent the night at a friend’s house on Friday?” Castiel chanced, figuratively crossing his fingers. 

“Which friend?” She asked.

“Uh, Kevin’s. Kevin Tran, the kid from my AP classes,” Castiel lied. He didn’t know why exactly he didn’t want his mother knowing about even the mere existence of Dean, but he followed his gut and decided to keep his exact location to himself. 

“Hmm, I suppose. I don’t want you overstaying your welcome though, so be home before lunch on Saturday. I’ve left a list of things that need to be done around the house on the kitchen counter. Your father and I will be leaving around six on Friday morning,” she notified him. 

With that, Castiel exercised great will power by managing to retire into his room at a normal pace. He felt like sprinting upstairs to tell Balthazar the good news.

On Friday night, Castiel manipulated his tracking device to make it look like he was staying at Kevin’s house. He also informed Kevin of his plan in case Naomi decided to fact check his whereabouts. With all precautions taken, Castiel drove to Dean’s house. Before he could knock on the door, it swung open revealing a beaming redhead. 

“Cas!” she practically shrieked, gesturing for him to enter the house. “You’re just in time for popcorn!” she told him as they made their way to the den in the basement. As the pair walked into the room, Castiel noticed that the furniture had been rearranged. Instead of the armchairs being square with the television, the largest couch now occupied that spot.

“Woah. You guys remodeled,” Castiel japed. He looked over and noticed Charlie giving him a weird look. He awkwardly averted his eyes down to his shoes.

“Um, am I supposed to take these off at the door?” he asked self-consciously, noticing Charlie was only wearing socks. 

“You can kick ‘em off right there if you want."

Castiel snapped his attention to the voice behind him. Dean was standing there wearing a black band shirt with an olive green button up thrown over it. He was also wearing dark blue jeans and carried a large bowl in his hands. Castiel processed Dean’s sentence and quickly toed off his shoes. All three of them sat on the couch facing the television. Dean sat in the middle so the popcorn could be evenly distributed. Cas sat to his left; Charlie to his right. 

About halfway through ‘Hitch’ Charlie notified the boys that one of her earrings was missing. She dragged Dean with her to go look for it. Castiel could see right through Charlie’s act. She just wanted some alone time with Dean. About a minute later, Castiel felt a vibration in his pocket. He pulled out his phone and was notified of a text from Balthazar.

_> >> So how’s the date? -Balthazar_

_< << It’s not a date, Balthazar. Charlie’s here -Castiel_

_> >> So? -Balthazar_

_< << SO?? They’re the ones on the date! I’m just awkwardly third wheeling. -Castiel_

_> >> Cassie, I highly doubt they would invite you to a movie night if it was originally planned as a date -Balthazar _

_< << Well, they just snuck off to God knows where under the pretense that Charlie ‘lost an earring’. I’m not even entirely sure her ears are pierced -Castiel_

_> >>Well, I’m sure there was a good reason. Maybe there was a family emergency. I’m sorry, but I’ve got my own date I’m already running late to. Just remember, it’s totally acceptable to pay attention to a pretty face rather than a television screen. Text me tomorrow -Balthazar_

Castiel rolled his eyes and shook his head at his screen. He slid the phone back into his pocket and returned his attention to the movie. He picked up the bowl of popcorn from where Dean had left it and started munching on the few pieces that were left. 

Eventually, Charlie and Dean returned, and they finished the movie. Not wanting to feel like the third wheel any longer than he had to, Castiel excused himself.

“I’m sorry if I seem abrupt, but I should probably be heading home,” he lied.

“What? No! Stay! We’re about to watch Focus! I hear that it’s really good,” Charlie pleaded. Castiel looked from her face, to Dean’s, and back to hers. 

“I would love to stay-”

“Then stay!” Charlie interrupted. 

“Hey, look, if you need to leave, I understand. Don’t let her make you feel bad because you have a curfew. But, it would be cool if you could stay for a little while longer,” Dean mediated. Castiel almost stayed. Almost. 

“I’m sorry, but Naomi won’t be happy if I stay out too long,” Castiel said, only telling a half-lie. Technically, he was supposed to be staying over at Kevin’s, but on any other given Friday night, she would be up his ass about getting home at a decent time. 

“It’s alright, text me when you get home?” Dean asked. Castiel couldn’t say no when Dean did that with his eyes. 

“Of course,” Castiel assured him, “I’ll see you two later,” he said before he left. 

When Charlie and Dean heard the front door shut and the engine to Cas' car start, Charlie shot off the couch and started yelling at Dean.

“I can’t believe you let him go like that! You were so close! You were sitting right next to him for well over an hour!” she chastised. 

“You probably scared him off, what with your fake ‘I lost my earring’ bullshit,” Dean accused. 

“Why would that scare him off? Also, my acting was superb, I bet he didn’t even notice that my ears aren’t pierced,” she added smugly.

“I don’t know, maybe because we’ve been friends forever and he’s new here, so maybe he thought we were making fun of him behind his back,” Dean explained. Charlie opened her mouth to argue, but a look of clarity washed over her face. 

“Shit,” she said as she flopped onto the couch. 

⚣

When Castiel got home, he texted Dean about his safe arrival before he tried falling asleep. He tossed and turned and reprimanded himself for his actions that night. Of course, those emotions were dangerous to fall asleep to. When he finally could shut his mind off, he started into a recurring dream. 

_“I'm glad your parents let you spend the night with just Michael home to watch us,” Castiel said, popping a movie into the DVD player._

_“Me too,” Samandriel replied. About halfway through the movie, the guest tapped Castiel on the shoulder to grab his attention._

_“Can I tell you something?” Samandriel asked._

_“Sure,” Castiel replied, shifting his position to mirror his friend’s. The boys sat cross legged on Castiel’s bed._

_“I don't like girls,” he confessed, picking at a thread on his pants. Castiel seemed to mull over his friend’s confession._

_“You mean...like,_ like _like girls?” Castiel asked for clarification._

_“Yeah. I don't think I could date a girl. I think I like boys,” he added. At this, he looked up to study Castiel’s reaction. The blue eyed boy seemed to truly think this over. He nodded subtly before replying._

_“I think I like boys too,” he confessed. Samandriel’s face lit up at the news._

_“I thought I was the only one,” he said, relief obvious in his voice. “But, there's only one way to find out if we really like boys,” Samandriel said. Castiel tilted his head to one side in confusion._

_“What do you mean?” He asked. Without giving an answer, Samandriel grabbed Castiel's hand. He leaned in._

Castiel woke up with a start. He wiped the drool off his cheek with a disgusted face. He really crashed last night.

He looked over at his alarm clock. The numbers 11:34 blinking back at him in a pale green light. 

He searched around for his phone. When it wasn't on its usual spot on his nightstand, he panicked. Worst case scenarios flashed through his mind as he ripped back the covers. He heard a solid _thunk_ and let out a deep breath. He must've fallen asleep with it on his bed. He quickly changed his GPS location to make it look like he was back home.

He went through his apps and noticed a few texts from Charlie. 

_> >> Sorry about last night. We didn't mean to scare you off. -Charlie _

_> >> I promise we weren't talking about you behind your back -Charlie_

_> >> shoot, that makes it sound like we WERE talking about you behind your back -Charlie_

_> >> just...pretend those last two texts didn't happen. I'm sorry again -Charlie_

Leaving the texts unanswered, he tossed his phone back on his bed and decided to take a shower. 

⚣

It didn’t take long for things to get back to normal. Well, as normal as Castiel’s life could be. He gave a not-so-smooth excuse as to why he was acting strange that night and Dean and Charlie seemed to give him the benefit of the doubt. The three of them hung out as frequently as he was able to without Naomi nagging him about being out too much. He felt a small amount of guilt for keeping his two closest friends away from Naomi and his father, but he reasoned that it was for their own good. They did not need to experience Naomi’s indecency first hand. He felt they were all better off if they didn’t hang out at Castiel’s house. At least, not when Naomi was home. 

Soon enough, Castiel’s birthday came and went mostly undetected (only a “happy birthday” from his father, and a gift from Balthazar in the mail), and his junior year of high school came to a close. 

All in all, Cas was glad that summer vacation was finally here.

Castiel’s dad, much to Naomi’s chagrin, allowed Castiel to go back to Chicago to watch Balthazar walk at graduation. Castiel didn't even cry...until Balthazar came over in his cap and gown and handed him a flower. Castiel did not have full control over his tear ducts at that moment.

After the ceremony, Castiel and Balthazar went grad-party hopping before kicking off Balthazar’s own party. When he announced to Castiel that he got accepted to the Chicago College of Performing Arts with a full ride, Castiel nearly tackled him. When the guests all vacated the apartment, Castiel dragged Balthazar to his bedroom to properly _congratulate_ him. 

The next day, after having breakfast with Balthazar and his father, Castiel started the long journey home.

He wondered if Michael would come home at all during the summer. He had mixed feelings about his brother. The two boys truly did get along when they were younger, but life kept shoveling on the shit and their bond just...broke. It started off with small things: Michael would take Naomi’s side in an argument; Castiel would tattle on Michael for something insignificant. Then Michael drove away one of the only good things left in Castiel’s life after their mother’s death. That burned the final bridge keeping their camaraderie alive. 


	7. This Chapter Reminds Me of that One Fall Out Boy Song

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 10 points to whoever knows what FOB song I'm talking about

The first few weeks of the summer were pretty slow for Castiel. Naomi took advantage of Castiel’s free time, almost tripling his list of chores. Since he wasn’t legally obligated to be out of the house for eight hours a day, he didn’t have much of an excuse to put off the chores. From doing loads of laundry, to deep-cleaning the kitchen, Castiel felt more like a servant than a seventeen-year-old boy. His only reprieves were when Naomi was away on business. Like this weekend, for example. It was the Fourth of July, and Castiel had spent the entire day at Charlie’s house with her and Dean. 

After spending most of the day on Charlie’s lake, she suggested they all stay and watch a movie until the firework show began. Cas usually spent his Fourth of Julys with Balthazar, but hanging out with Dean and Charlie made Castiel feel a lot less lonely. He followed his two friends inside and helped pick out a movie. 

They settled on ‘Deadpool’ because Castiel hadn’t seen it yet. Charlie went to the kitchen to pop some popcorn, which left Dean and Cas alone to sort out the seating arrangement. Unlike Dean’s basement, which had plenty of places to sit, Charlie’s den had only a love seat and an armchair. 

“I mean, it’s her house, so I think she should get the armchair,” Dean reasoned, scratching the back of his neck. Castiel agreed and the two boys sat down on the loveseat. Charlie walked in with two bowls of popcorn; one for herself, and one for the boys to share. She smiled when she saw that they had decided to sit next to each other. 

When they had finished their popcorn, Dean stretched out and laid his arm along the back of the couch. Castiel took a peek out of the corner of his eye to see if he could find out what was going on. Dean’s eyes remained trained on the TV screen. 

A few minutes later, Dean’s fingers started playing with the hair at the nape of Castiel’s neck. Still, Dean’s eyes were trained on the movie. Castiel was growing more and more confused. Goosebumps rose along his neck and down his back, and he couldn’t tell if they were out of discomfort or excitement. 

A couple more minutes went by and Dean retracted his arm from the back of the couch. He leaned forward and started untying his shoes. Castiel looked at his own covered feet and wondered if he should do the same. He decided not to and focused on the screen. 

When Dean got comfortable again, he was definitely a lot closer than he had been. He also threw his arm along the back of the couch again. 

Castiel glanced nervously over at Charlie, hoping she wasn’t aware of what her boyfriend was currently doing. Dean definitely had a lot of guts doing this in front of her. 

Just around the climax of the movie, Dean turned his head to face Cas'. He closed his eyes and leaned in and…

Kissed him.

Castiel was more confused than ever. Here they were, after an idyllic summer day, watching a movie, Dean’s girlfriend sitting _right there_ , and he leans in and kisses him! Suddenly, Cas was affronted. What kind of person shows that much disrespect? He quickly pushed Dean off of him and stood up.

“I can’t believe this!” Castiel yelled. Dean had a look of utter confusion on his face. 

“What-” Dean was cut off by Castiel.

“You chose to sit next to me, and that’s perfectly fine! You slung your arm along the back of the couch and I let that slide! But Charlie is _right there!”_ Castiel said. Dean looked over at Charlie and the two shared a confused look.

“So?” Dean asked.

“So?” Castiel parroted, “SO? If _my_ boyfriend kissed somebody else right in front of me, I’d be furious!” Castiel explained.

“Wait a minute, wait a minute,” Charlie interjected, “do you think Dean and I are... _dating?_ ” She asked incredulously. At that, she and Dean broke into uproarious laughter. Castiel’s features went from furious to confused to embarrassed in all of three seconds.

“You mean...you’re not? And he’s not?” Castiel stuttered.

“Cas...I’m _gay_ ,” Charlie revealed. This didn’t make any sense. All the silent conversations and long hugs? They were just friends the entire time? Castiel could practically feel his face melting off due to severe mortification. 

“I have to go,” Castiel said quietly before turning on his heel and bolting for an exit. He was about to open his car door when a hand on his shoulder turned him around. 

“Hey, Cas, it’s ok. You don’t have to leave,” Dean reasoned. Castiel didn’t even notice he was crying until he put his hand on his face and noticed the wetness. 

“Yes, I do, that was embarrassing as fuck,” he said, not meeting Dean’s eye. The taller boy grabbed Cas' chin and lifted it so those blue eyes were forced to look into green ones. 

“I thought it was endearing,” Castiel scoffed and averted his eyes.

“Hey,” Dean called for his attention. When they made eye contact again, he continued, “I thought it was very loyal how you told me off when you thought I was cheating. But I mean, I’d have to be pretty goddamn stupid to do that _right in front_ of my girlfriend,” Dean joked. Castiel pulled himself out of Dean’s grip and went to open his car door again. 

“Look, Cas, I’m sorry that this happened like that. Let me make it up to you,” Dean offered. Castiel turned around slowly.

“How?” he asked. Dean pulled out his own set of keys from his pocket. 

“Let me take you out for slushies,” Dean proposed. Castiel, after a moment of deliberation, agreed. 

With half-drunk slushies in their stomachs, the overall feeling of embarrassment seemed to fade from Castiel.

“So you really thought me and Charlie were a thing?” Dean asked, chuckling at the mere thought. 

“Well, yes. You two are very close and do a lot of things couples do so I just...assumed,” Cas explained. 

“So now that you know me and her _aren’t_ dating-”

“She and I,” Castiel interrupted. 

“What?”

“You said ‘me and her’ but it’s ‘she and I’,” Castiel explained. 

“Whatever,” Dean said with a laugh, “since you know _she and I_ aren’t dating...what do you say to a second date with me?” Dean asked. 

“Second?” Castiel inquired. 

“Well, I mean - technically - this is our first date,” Dean said, gesturing to the slushies and the overall setting they were in. Castiel laughed. 

“I guess I could be persuaded into a second date,” Castiel said before taking a sip of his blue raspberry drink. “Can I ask you something?”

“You just did,” Dean said playfully. Cas rolled his eyes, but smiled nonetheless. 

“I mean like, a real question,” he explained.

“Shoot."

“So um...Charlie is gay...and _I’m_ gay,” Castiel said, somewhat nervously.

“And you’re wondering if I am too,” Dean stated, rather than asked. “Bisexual, actually,” he informed him. Castiel nodded his head understandingly. 

“Does that...change anything?” this time, it was Dean who seemed nervous.

“No,” Castiel interjected, “I was just...curious,” after a small pause, he spoke again. “There’s probably something you should know,” he said. 

“And what’s that?” Dean asked. Castiel looked down like suddenly his slushie was the most interesting thing in the world. 

“Well, um, my step mom - Naomi - she’s...awful. Just...a horrible person. And if she ever found out that I was _gay_ ,” a look of remorseful understanding crossed Dean’s features, “she’d likely kick me out, or worse...” Castiel trailed off. 

“So I guess we’ll just keep it under wraps,” Dean said. Castiel looked up and smiled. Dean smiled back. 

“Let’s take this back to Charlie’s place. I’d hate to miss the show. Charlie’s dad piles us on to her boat and we watch the fireworks from the water as they set ‘em off on the big island,” Dean said, excitement lighting up his eyes.

They made idle conversation on the ride back to Charlie’s house. Dean told Cas about Gilda; a girl Charlie had been talking to online for a few months. Cas apologized again for making such a scene during the movie. Dean waved it off and tried his best to make Castiel feel like less of an idiot.

Charlie complained that they hadn’t gotten her a slushie while they were out. Dean laughed and promised her that he would buy her one tomorrow. 

Charlie’s dad rounded up the kids and told them to board the S.S. Bradbury. It was a typical Yamaha speed boat: a few seats upfront at the point, the driver’s and passenger’s seat, along with a bench in the back. 

As they arrived in the place they wanted to view the show from, a few small, loud fireworks went off, warning the rest of the lake that the show was about to begin.

Charlie’s dad sat in the driver’s seat, his wife occupying the passenger’s seat. A few family friends occupied the front end of the boat, which left the three teens on the back bench. Dean sat in the middle, Charlie on his left and Castiel on his right. All of their heads turned upwards as the first few fireworks soared into the night sky. 

Castiel was entranced. He couldn’t look away if he tried. Bursts of yellow, red, blue, green, and purple filled his vision. He could feel the loud _booms_ in his chest. His eyes followed the comet-like tail the fireworks emitted until they faded out for just a second before bursting into brilliant colors. His favorites were the waterfalls. They seemed to fall with such grace, making a satisfying _whoosh_ sound that was like music to Castiel’s ears. He also enjoyed seeing the smoke patterns left behind by previous explosions. The show crescendoed into a fast-paced finale, easily twenty bursts of light and sound in just a few seconds. When the night sky grew dark and the show seemed to be over, Castiel could hear cheering all around him. He cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted his appreciation as well. 

Castiel looked over at Dean, who was already looking at him. He saw nothing but happiness in those green eyes. 

Castiel nearly jumped out of the boat when suddenly a vigorous round of ammunition fired into the air, illuminating it once more as the show progressed further. His eyes tried to take everything in but there were so many blooms of light and bursts of sound that he could only sit there and try to process it all. He felt a hand slip into his as a string of shrieking fireworks were lit off. He glanced down at his and Dean’s intertwined fingers and felt a warm feeling spread throughout his body. He smiled as he looked back up; the truly _final_ firework shimmering in the starry Kansas sky. 

⚣

“No! Stop laughing! It’s really not that funny. _Balthazar!_ ” Castiel chastised his friend on the screen. 

“I’m sorry...this is just...too great,” Balthazar said through his laughter, “Charlie’s _gay_ , and you thought she was dating Dean! I just...bloody hell, Cassie,” he erupted into a fresh fit of laughter. 

“Yes, I’m an idiot, can we move on please?” Castiel requested, face tinted pink, “I haven’t even told you the good part,” he said.

“There’s something _better?_ I’m not sure I can handle that, Cassie,” Balthazar said, wiping a stray tear from the corner of his eye. 

“After I rushed out of the house, Dean followed me,” Castiel told his friend, “he took me to get some slushies and asked me on a date,” he revealed. Balthazar whistled a long note. 

“It sounds like he likes you,” Balthazar observed, happy for his friend. 

“He um, during the firework show, he...held my hand,” Castiel confessed, a small blush creeping up his neck and tinting his cheeks pink. 

“Cassie, only a month and a half ago, I had you tied to my bed, now you’re blushing because some bloke held your hand?” the brit asked, eyebrows clear up to his hairline. 

“This is different, Balthazar,” Castiel said, exasperated. 

“I’m not sure if I should be offended,” he replied, squinting his eyes. 

“We’re just bed buddies who happen to be very close friends. Our sexcapades were a fling, Dean could be something serious,” Castiel explained. 

“Does that mean I have to stop sexting you?” Balthazar quipped, only half joking. 

“Yeah, probably,” Castiel replied with a chuckle. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only 7 chapters of pining...that's not too bad, right?


	8. Something to Get Off My Chest

“So let me get this straight,” Dean said trying to force back his laughter enough for him to talk, “your little freshman punk-ass decided to _dye your hair blue_ because Naomi made you go to church with her?” Dean asked incredulously. 

In the past three weeks, Cas and Dean had gone on four official dates and texted each other constantly. Castiel even persuaded Dean into downloading snapchat, a feat in which Charlie was genuinely impressed. 

The two boys were in Dean’s room, lying shoulder to shoulder on Dean’s bed. Castiel was rather fond of Dean’s room. On the far wall was Dean’s (meticulously organized) closet. To the right of that on the other wall was a pair of small windows. Being as Dean’s room was mostly underground, the windows couldn’t be quite full sized, but they were large enough that someone could use them to escape in the event of a fire. Under those was a black futon, complete with what looked like a handmade quilt thrown over the back. On the wall next to the windows were a few posters. Most of them depicted Dean’s favorite rock bands, but there was one that had genuinely shocked Castiel. 

A hogwarts banner was pinned proudly to the wall. The entire set of books and movies were stored on the bookcase below the banner. The boys may or may not have gotten into a very intense conversation over anything and everything related to Harry Potter the first time Castiel saw it.

“Yes,” Cas answered truthfully, “if she was going to make me go to that godforsaken place, I was not going to go peacefully,” he informed Dean. 

“Man, you were a little shit, weren’t you?” Dean speculated.

“I guess I was when Naomi came around...I probably still am according to her,” he said with a smile. 

“Can I ask you something kind of personal?” Dean asked hesitantly, rolling onto his side, supporting his head in his hand. 

“Go for it,” Castiel permitted. 

“What happened to your mom?” he asked, dropping his voice just above a whisper. Castiel tensed up at the question. He didn’t like talking about it. Dean noticed his discomfort. “You don’t have to answer...if you don’t want to,” he said. It took a moment, but Castiel eventually found his voice. 

“She was, uh...she was murdered,” he stated, trying to stop the tears from burning in his eyes. It happened years ago, he shouldn’t cry every time he mentions it. 

“That’s...awful, Cas,” Dean said, almost speechless. 

“She wasn’t even...she worked at a bank,” Castiel said, “she went in on a Tuesday even though she _never_ worked on Tuesdays. She swapped shifts with a different teller and-and,” Castiel cursed himself as he felt a tear slip out. “And some fucking assholes decided to rob the place. They didn’t mean to shoot her, but one of the guys got a little too jumpy and as she reached for the panic button, he fired off three bullets. One shattered the glass in front of her and the other two got her in the chest,” Castiel said, voice trembling. Dean gathered Cas into his arms and just held him. “She wasn’t supposed to be there, she wasn’t supposed to die,” Castiel cried into his chest.

It had been a long time since Castiel cried about his mother. He could still remember the day he was pulled out of class and his father took him and Michael home and told them what had happened. He didn’t go back to school for a week and a half. Alfie was the only person he would allow into his bedroom. He spent many afternoons crying into Alfie’s shirt or just staring at his ceiling wishing, _praying_ for it to have been some horrible nightmare he would eventually wake up from. 

After Castiel had calmed down a bit, Dean spoke up. 

“My dad died about a year ago,” he started, “he was driving home from a late shift and uh, he got hit by a drunk driver. T-boned, actually. Some stupid kid thought speeding down the street drunk off his ass was a great idea. Slammed into him going 90 in a 45. My dad died on impact; barely even saw it coming,” Dean relayed, running a hand up and down Cas' back. 

“Damn, our childhoods kind of sucked,” Castiel said, trying to crack a joke. He sniffled and idly picked at a loose thread on the hem of Dean’s shirt. 

“Yeah,” Dean agreed solemnly. 

They stayed like that for a while, Castiel absently playing with Dean’s shirt, Dean leisurely running his fingers through Castiel’s hair. It was peaceful.

Before long, Castiel leaned up and pressed a soft kiss to Dean’s lips. After only a moment of hesitation, Dean kissed back. 

“Thank you,” Castiel whispered as he pulled away. 

“For what?” Dean asked, his free hand coming up to cradle Cas' face.

“For listening to me cry about my mom like some sort of baby,” Castiel answered despondently, averting his eyes.

“Hey, look at me,” Dean said gently, “you’re not a baby for having emotions,” Dean said firmly. When Castiel didn’t seem convinced, Dean rolled off the bed.

“Where are you going?” Castiel asked.

“I’m gonna go make some popcorn,” he answered. At that response, Castiel just grew more confused.

“Why?” He asked, rolling over as Dean walked around his bed to his door. 

“Because we’re gonna watch a movie,” Dean stated as if there were no other possible explanation. 

Once two bags of popcorn had been popped and salted, the two boys made their way downstairs to the den. They sat on the couch and tried to agree on what to watch. 

“I swear to god if you make me watch _Minions_ , I will never speak to you again,” Castiel warned, a smile gracing his lips. Dean laughed and shook his head. 

“Oooh, what about _Back to the Future_?” Dean asked.

“I’ve never seen it,” Castiel said. Dean gawked at Cas' confession. He clicked play immediately and grabbed a handful of popcorn. 

Only about 30 minutes into the movie, Castiel’s phone vibrated in his pocket. He fished it out and read the text.

_> >> you busy? - Balthazar_

_< << kinda yeah - Castiel_

“Who’re you texting?” Dean asked, snacking on a few more pieces of popcorn. 

“Balthazar,” Castiel answered, reaching for a handful of popcorn himself. 

“Hmm,” Dean hummed in an odd tone. Castiel eyed him suspiciously. 

“What?” 

“It’s nothing...it’s just. It seems like he always texts you in the middle of a movie,” Dean said. 

“He texts me all the time; statistically, he’s bound to catch me while I’m watching a movie,” Castiel explained, “especially since we watch so many of them."

“Hmm,” Dean hummed again, training his eyes on the TV screen. 

“You’re acting weird,” Castiel pointed out.

“No I’m not,” Dean deflected, shoveling more popcorn into his mouth. Before Castiel could argue, his phone buzzed again.

_> >> alright, just text me when you’re free. It’s been awhile since we’ve video chatted -Balthazar_

_< << will do -Castiel_

Cas could sense that Dean was trying to read over his shoulder. After hitting send, he locked his phone and looked over at Dean, eyebrows raised. 

“What do you think we text about?” Castiel asked brusquely. Dean tried just shrugging it off, telling Castiel that it really wasn’t a big deal, but Castiel was having none of it.

“No, I’m serious. What do you think we text about?” Castiel asked again. 

“I don’t know,” Dean said, growing more uncomfortable under Cas' harsh gaze. 

“Me and Balthazar are friends, Dean. Just because I moved doesn’t change that fact,” Castiel said. 

“Look, I’m not saying you can’t be friends, I’m not your mom,” Dean said, immediately regretting his words as he watched Cas' face fall. “Ok, yeah, poor choice of words,” Dean tried to amend. 

“Forget it,” Castiel said, standing up and heading towards the stairs. 

“Cas, wait!” Dean called after him, grabbing his arm before he could reach the stairs. “I’m sorry, the phrase just kind of came out. I didn’t mean it,” he explained. 

“I literally _just_ opened up to you and that’s what you say? ‘I’m not your mom’? Seriously? That was really personal information, Dean."

“I know that, I really regret saying it. I didn’t mean it to hurt you,” Dean avowed. “Please come back and watch the movie,” Dean begged. After a moment of consideration, Castiel returned to the couch with Dean.

The rest of the movie passed in uncomfortable silence. When the credits started to roll, Dean spoke up.

“Look, I’m sorry about-”

“No, it’s fine,” Castiel cut his boyfriend off. Truth be told, he’d never actually been in a real, monogamous relationship before. He had never told _anyone_ about Balthazar and him, either, except for Alfie. He knew he was being defensive, but he didn’t know how to _not_ be defensive about it. His whole life, he was told what he was doing - what he was feeling - was wrong. Now, someone was challenging him on his relationship with Balthazar, and Castiel didn’t know how to react. He wasn’t mad at Dean for asking, he really wasn’t, but years of being conditioned to lie and cover up his real relationship with Balthazar took over before he could really think about it. 

“I overreacted. You were just curious,” Castiel said. 

“But that didn’t give me the right to act like that,” Dean reputed. Castiel was silent for a moment.

“I’m gonna tell you something, but you’re probably not gonna like it,” Castiel cautioned. “Balthazar and I used to go out,” he confessed. “Well, we weren’t _dating,_ we were...sharing a bed, if you know what I mean. We also went to our fair share of parties. I was kind of a really bad kid."

“Wow,” Dean said. If he was being honest, the thought of Cas and Balthazar dating had crossed his mind a few times; he’d just never expected for it to have actually happened. “How long ago was that?” Dean asked. 

“How long ago was what? The last time we had sex?” Castiel asked bluntly. Dean blushed and grabbed the back of his neck. 

“Uh, yeah."

“When my dad let me go back to watch Balthazar’s graduation ceremony, we went out and after that, I spent the night,” Castiel disclosed. “But he won’t try anything when he knows we’re together. Balthazar knows he and I are just friends with benefits,” Castiel assured Dean. 

“Are?” Dean asked. 

“Were,” Castiel amended. 

“So I’m not your first boyfriend,” Dean said more than he asked. 

“Well, I mean, Alfie moved before anything happened and Balthazar and I didn’t really have an _emotional_ connection, so technically, you _are_ my first boyfriend,” Castiel said, “you just won’t be my first kiss. Or my first time,” Castiel divulged, eyes flicking down to glance at Dean’s lips. Dean smirked at that last part.

“Are you trying to get in my pants?” Dean asked.

“That depends,” Castiel answered, “is it working?” 

Before Dean could answer, he received a lap full of Cas. He eagerly returned the kiss as Castiel hooked his arms around Dean’s neck. They made out for a few minutes before Cas pulled back, both boys breathing heavily. 

“How long are we going to be home alone?” Castiel asked.

“Sammy’s spending the night at a friend’s house and my mom won’t be home until after nine tonight,” Dean said. Castiel looked at the time and grinned. 7:34pm. Plenty of time. 

“Why don’t we move this to a place a bit more _comfortable_ ,” he whispered the last word into Dean’s ear, punctuating the suggestion with a roll of his hips. Dean nodded excitedly and followed Cas into his bedroom. They broke house rules and closed the door behind them.

Castiel immediately removed Dean’s shirt and kissed him deeply. 

“Have you ever been with a boy before?” Castiel asked, pulling Dean in from the belt loops of his jeans. 

“Well, um, uhh…” Castiel noticed a furious blush creeping over Dean’s neck and cheeks. 

“Uhh ...what?” Castiel prompted, slowly descending to his knees. Dean swallowed thickly. 

“I’ve um...messed around. Down there,” he confessed awkwardly. 

“By yourself? Or with someone else?” Castiel investigated further. He started slowly unbuttoning Dean’s jeans, waiting for him to answer.

“Um, both? I’ve done it a couple times on my own and a few times with other guys. Well, just one other guy, but I enjoyed it,” Dean rambled.

“Mmm,” Castiel hummed, slowly pulling down the offending clothing covering Dean’s erection, “speaking from experience, you should try it a few more times,” he said before mouthing at Dean’s cock beneath his boxers. He pulled those down as well and wasted no time getting to work. Dean’s hands fisted into Cas' hair at the unexpected heat of his boyfriend’s mouth. 

“Shit Cas, baby. Feels good,” he said, watching as Cas bobbed his head. 

All too soon (in Dean’s opinion), Castiel pulled off and stood back up, kissing Dean fiercely. Dean made quick work of Cas' clothing before moving them both to the bed. 

Dean loomed above Cas, arms bracketed on each side of his boyfriend’s head. Castiel rolled his hips up and they each moaned at the skin on skin contact. Dean claimed Castiel’s lips and rolled his hips. He took both Cas and himself into one hand, building up a steady rhythm. 

“Mmm, Dean,” Castiel breathed, “do you have any stuff?” he asked. 

“You mean, like...lube?” Dean asked. Castiel laughed. 

“Yes, Dean. Like lube. Maybe a condom?” 

Dean reached over and rummaged through his nightstand. He came back with a triumphant smile; a small tube and a red package in his hand.

“Are you just going to sit there smiling, or are you going to put those fingers to good use?” Castiel asked. Dean crawled back over him, excitement thrumming through his body. He popped off the lid on the lubricant and coated his fingers. He circled his index finger around Cas' hole before sliding it in. Castiel hissed at the intrusion, but relaxed as Dean started moving it in and out. 

“Just like that, Dean,” Cas encouraged, fisting the sheets as Dean added a second finger. With his free hand, Dean took Cas into his hand and started a frustratingly slow pace. He scissored his fingers, stretching Castiel further. At Cas' enthusiastic moans, Dean added a third finger, watching as the digits slid in and out. 

“Dean, please, I’m ready,” Cas begged, thrusting back onto Dean’s fingers. Dean pulled them out and opened the condom, sliding it on before adding more lube to his own neglected cock. He steadied himself by grabbing Cas' sides. He lined himself up and slowly pushed in, letting Cas adjust inch by inch. 

When he was completely seated, he stopped for a moment, fearing his ultimate release if he tried anything right away. Growing impatient, Cas started moving his hips, encouraging Dean to pick up the pace.

Dean got the memo, speeding up his thrusts. Castiel was making delicious sounds beneath him; ones that Dean would definitely call back in his next solo session. Dean could feel himself getting close. He grabbed Cas' cock and began pumping it in time with his thrusts. Before long, they became increasingly erratic. Castiel came first, hollering out Dean’s name while coating his chest and Dean’s hand in cum. 

Dean followed shortly after, incapable of lasting any longer when Cas clenched tightly around him. 

Dean collapsed onto Castiel and they stayed there, catching their breath.

“That was great,” Castiel said, body completely relaxed. Dean agreed wholeheartedly. After a moment, he pulled out of Cas and carefully disposed of the condom. He’d have to remember to take out the trash before his mom got home. Dean leaned off the bed and reached for a piece of clothing to wipe off their chests. Once that task had been completed, Castiel pulled back the covers and settled into Dean’s bed. 

“Join me,” Castiel requested, holding the covers back. Dean did just that and the boys settled in, Castiel’s head pillowed on Dean’s chest. 

While the air around them was tranquil; the inside of Castiel’s mind was turbulent. 

Sure, he’d had sex before. He had even cuddled with Balthazar in the aftermath a few times. But never had Castiel felt like this before. 

With Balthazar, sex was just a form of relief. Relief of stress, relief of aggression, relief of teenage hormones. 

This was not sex with Balthazar.

This was not just relief.

This was something brand new to Castiel. Something he thought might’ve come along with Alfie had he gotten the chance to explore. Something that was never quite _there_ with Balthazar. But Castiel couldn’t admit it to himself. It was too early on; he couldn’t possibly be feeling what he was feeling. Not yet. 

He was pulled out of his thoughts by a voice. 

“Are you even listening?”

“I’m sorry. I must’ve spaced out,” Castiel apologized, he braced one hand on Dean’s chest to balance himself as he looked into the green eyes. “What were you saying?”

“We should probably get cleaned up...before my mom gets home,” Dean repeated, holding eye contact with Castiel.

“Right,” he agreed. After what seemed like minutes, Castiel finally blinked and slid off the bed, scouring the floor for his discarded clothing. He picked up his shirt and grimaced, recognizing it as the piece of clothing they used to clean up their _mess_. Dean noticed Castiel’s look of disgust and chuckled softly.

“You can borrow one of my shirts,” he offered, pointing to the dresser in which he kept the clothing. Castiel sauntered over to the dresser, swaying his hips a little more than necessary. He knew Dean was watching him, and he was going to enjoy the attention. 

He pulled open the top left drawer and was pleased to see that he had located Dean’s shirt drawer on the first try. He pulled out a dark gray t-shirt and held it to his chest. He snickered at the logo on the front. 

“Batman?” he asked, holding the shirt up for Dean to see. The boy on the bed laughed.

“You gotta problem with that?” Dean asked playfully, sliding off the bed. 

“No, no, I was merely...announcing which shirt I’d pulled out of the drawer,” Castiel lied, smile growing wider as Dean crept towards him. 

“That’s what I thought,” Dean practically growled. He claimed Cas' lips in a fierce kiss that left the dark haired boy breathless. 

“Shouldn’t we be getting cleaned up?” Castiel asked quietly once Dean had pulled away. 

“Right,” he whispered, capturing Cas' lips in his once more before exiting his bedroom and walking towards the bathroom. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...and only 8 chapters to get to the smut


	9. I'd Like to Think it's Because of My Perky Nipples

“Castiel, I told you to vacuum the living room an hour ago!” Naomi admonished as she barged into the teen’s room. Castiel looked up from his laptop and pulled out an earbud. 

“What?” he asked. Naomi bit her cheek and took a deep breath.

“You need to vacuum the living room,” she repeated.

“Can’t it wait?” Castiel objected, “I’m talking to Balthazar right now."

“I asked you to do it over an hour ago,” Naomi said, “this is not open for discussion. Vacuum. Now,” she demanded, turning on her heel and striding out of the bedroom. Castiel rolled his eyes and put his earbud back in place.

“No, nothing important. What were you saying?” Castiel asked his friend, shifting slightly to get more comfortable. 

⚣

“Castiel _James_. I’ve told you to vacuum the living room _twice_ now!” Naomi yelled twenty minutes later as she walked up the stairs yet again. She pushed open his door and found him lying on his bed, consumed entirely by his laptop. She marched over to him and yanked out the earbuds. 

“Naomi! What the-”

“Downstairs. Now,” she demanded. He leveled a glare at his step mother before pushing off the bed with a huff. He trudged out of his room and headed for the hall closet they stored the vacuum in. He plugged it in and, as quickly as possible (for he did not give a rat’s ass that the living room needed to be vacuumed) ran the machine over the carpet. After he was finished, he basically threw the vacuum back in the closet without so much as wrapping the cord up neatly. 

He marched back upstairs to find his laptop missing from his bed. He rolled his eyes so far back into his head that he could practically see his brain. He barged into Naomi's room and demanded his laptop back. 

“And why do you think you deserve it?” Naomi asked, tossing the few discarded clothes that were lying around the room into the hamper. 

“Because I fu-reaking vacuumed,” Castiel reasoned, barely stopping himself from cursing.

“Yes, you did. An hour and twenty minutes _after_ I told you to the first time,” she said, brushing past her stepson to take the dirty laundry downstairs.

Castiel clenched his jaw and followed after her. 

“Well, I need to talk to Balthazar,” Castiel said.

“You can talk to him in an hour and twenty minutes,” Naomi said, setting the hamper down in front of the washing machine. 

“That’s totally unfair!” Castiel protested, “plus, he’s leaving in an hour for the camping trip his dad takes him on every summer,” Castiel reasoned. 

“Well, you should’ve thought of that before neglecting your chores,” she said matter-of-factly. 

“ _Neglecting?_ ” Castiel all but shouted, “I was going to do it after I was done talking to Balthazar! It’s not like I was procrastinating out of spite!” he yelled.

“Do _not_ raise your voice at me!” Naomi scolded, “I don’t have time for this. Abby will be here any minute and this house needs to be neat and orderly,” she said.

“Oh please tell me I don’t have to be around for that,” Castiel begged. ‘Abby’ was Naomi’s sister. Her full name was Abaddon, and she sure as hell lived up to the reputation that came with that name. Naomi gave him a stern look.

“You most certainly _are_ required to attend dinner tonight,” she said, leaving no room for argument, “you will also be presentable. Go upstairs and shower. And get a comb through that hair,” she instructed.

“Naomi,” Castiel whined.

“Don’t _Naomi_ me. Now do as I said or you won’t see that laptop for a week,” she threatened, walking towards the kitchen to undoubtedly do some cleaning. Castiel rolled his eyes and went to do as he was told. 

⚣

Castiel sighed as he lay awake in his room. It was almost one in the morning, but he couldn’t seem to relax enough to sleep. Resigned to the fact that he wasn’t going to sleep much that night, he pulled up his cell phone and texted Balthazar.

_< << Guess for whom Naomi used me to impress -Castiel_

He would have to admit that he wasn’t too surprised that Balthazar texted back within minutes, even at this early hour.

_> >> The queen? -Balthazar_

Castiel chuckled at the brit’s quip.

_< << Yeah, the queen of hell -Castiel_

_> >> My goodness, what ever is the occasion that is gracing you with her presence? -Balthazar_

Castiel could actually feel the sarcasm radiating off of his phone.

_< << Naomi probably wanted to get in on her business venture again. I’m not sure why she’s using me to impress Abaddon. Her favorite step-son is only a phone call away -Castiel_

_> >> Maybe the dinner was short notice -Balthazar_

_< << Yeah, whatever -Castiel_

_> >> Shouldn’t you be asleep? -Balthazar_

_< << I could ask you the same question -Castiel_

_> >> Touche -Balthazar_

_< << I couldn’t sleep...this is going to sound stupid but I feel like if I did what Naomi wanted then maybe she’d lay off. Like, maybe she wouldn’t treat me like absolute shit. I don’t know, I just feel...weird about going to sleep right now -Castiel_

_> >> That makes sense. Maybe you’ve just grown accustomed to sharing a bed after a stressful day ;) I would offer you my bed, but I believe I live a bit too far for that -Balthazar_

_< << If only -Castiel_

_> >> In any case, I don’t believe your boyfriend would be too pleased with you sleeping in my bed -Balthazar_

_< << yeah, probably not. Maybe I should just go sleep in his -Castiel_

_> >> What’s holding you back? -Balthazar_

Castiel had only been joking when he sent the text. But he would admit the idea was enticing. There was a climbable tree outside of his bathroom window...as long as he was back before anyone came looking for him, it could work. 

_< << You know what, you’re right -Castiel_

_> >> Am I ever wrong? -Balthazar _

Castiel laughed before pulling up Dean’s contact and shooting off a text. 

_< << I know it’s late, but would you mind too much if I came and slept at your house? -Castiel_

He chewed on the inside of his cheek as he waited for a reply. Almost ten minutes later, his phone buzzed with an incoming text. 

_> >> My mom said Sam and I weren’t supposed to have anybody over...but she’s working until seven in the morning, so if you leave by then I don’t see a problem. Is everything alright? -Dean_

_< << Everything’s fine. I had kind of a stressful day, I thought I’d have an easier time falling asleep in your bed. -Castiel_

Castiel didn’t realize how cheesy that sounded until after he’d hit send. He blushed and waited while the three gray dots alerted him of a formulating text. He tried to distract from the last text by sending another one.

_< << But if it’s going to get you in trouble, I’m sure I can manage to fall asleep -Castiel_

_> >> Don’t even worry about it, park out of sight and come up to the window. I don’t want to wake up Sammy and have him ask me questions -Dean_

_< << Will do. See you soon -Castiel_

This wasn’t the first time Castiel had snuck out; but it _was_ the first time he’d snuck out of _this_ house. He walked into his bathroom and locked the door behind him. He carefully lifted up the window, pulled up the flashlight on his cell phone, and assessed his possible descent paths. There was a rather sturdy branch above the window he could easily hang from as he found footing on the lower branches. Plus, it would be possible for him to climb back into his bathroom since the tree was planted so close to the house. 

He felt an odd sense of pride as he made his way to his car and out of the neighborhood. 

It only took him about five minutes to drive to Dean’s house. When he got there, Castiel did as he was instructed and went up to Dean’s set of windows at the front of the house. He tapped on the glass and within moments, Dean was sliding one of them open.

He slipped in effortlessly and smiled at Dean. He gave him a lingering hug and whispered his thanks into his boyfriend’s ear. Cas pulled off his sweats and socks before climbing into bed with Dean. 

Castiel thought that this was just going to be an innocent sleepover, but as his head was pillowed on Dean’s chest, his thoughts couldn’t help but wander to a certain _scenario_ playing out in Cas' mind. He tried to just close his eyes and hope for the fantasy to follow him into his dreams, but apparently he got a little too carried away.

“Um, Cas?” Dean whispered huskily into the darkness. Cas hummed his acknowledgement. “Was there another reason you wanted to come over?” Dean asked. 

“Why do you-” Cas inhaled sharply when Dean moved his leg slightly, brushing over a certain part of his anatomy. “Well that’s embarrassing,” Castiel whispered. Dean leaned down and kissed him solidly. 

“I’m not opposed,” Dean whispered. Before he knew it, Castiel was sliding onto his body, positioning them so they were chest to chest. The shorter boy quickly latched onto Dean’s neck. He could feel that Cas wasn’t quite low enough that he’d be able to cover it up tomorrow, but damn if he was going to tell Cas to stop. After a few moments (and a few hickeys), Castiel started his descent on Dean’s body. His head disappeared below the covers and he pulled Dean out through the hole in his boxer briefs. 

He licked a long stripe up the underside before enveloping Dean entirely. Cas used his hand to pump Dean’s shaft while his tongue did wicked things to the tip. 

“Holy shit baby,” Dean moaned, throwing his head back onto the pillows. Cas started taking Dean deeper, at an agonizingly slow pace. Cas then started bobbing up and down, setting a decent rhythm. Dean’s hand went straight to Cas' hair. He pulled slightly, causing Cas to moan around him. 

“You like that?” Dean asked, pulling once again and biting his lip at the pleasure of Cas' mouth around him. Cas rutted into the mattress as Dean guided him along by the hair. 

Needless to say, hair pulling was definitely one of Cas' kinks. 

Within a few minutes, Dean was on the edge, breathing heavily as Cas continued to bob up and down on his dick. Cas' hips were still grinding into the mattress, seeking any form of friction available. With his right hand, Cas cradled Dean’s balls. He felt them draw tight and with only a tug on his hair as a warning, Dean was spilling into Cas' mouth. 

Cas tensed up as well and it only took Dean’s sex-hazed mind a moment or two to realize what that meant. He pulled up the covers and looked at the dark figure of his boyfriend.

“Did you just…” Dean trailed off. Castiel blushed in the darkness and nodded against Dean’s stomach. 

“I might need to borrow a pair of underwear,” Cas said after a few moments of silence. He felt Dean’s laugh more than he heard it, and suddenly Dean sat up, cradling Cas' head in his hands. He kissed him deeply before sliding out of bed. As he walked over to his dresser, he carefully tucked himself back in. Cas grabbed his phone off the nightstand and set an alarm. Dean snatched a pair of boxers out of the drawer and gave them to Cas. 

They shared another brief kiss before settling down and finally falling asleep. 

⚣

Castiel was pulled from his dream by a persistent buzzing noise. He blinked groggily into the dimly lit room and realized the buzzing noise was coming from his phone. He reluctantly rolled out of Dean’s arms and shut off his alarm. He wiped at his eyes, trying to see a bit more clearly. He took a deep breath and rolled onto his side. He watched Dean sleep for a few moments.

His boyfriend was absolutely gorgeous. Freckles dusted his nose and cheeks, and his short hair was sticking in all directions (although Castiel had a feeling his own hair wasn’t in much better shape). He reached out and shook Dean’s shoulder gently.

“Hey, Dean. I should probably head out,” he said quietly, rousing Dean from his sleep. 

“Time s’it?” Dean slurred, yawning as he stretched his arms above his head. 

“Half past five,” Castiel replied. Dean groaned his disapproval and rolled onto his side, pulling the covers up so just his head remained visible. “I don’t even get a goodbye kiss?” Castiel complained good naturedly. One of Dean’s eyes peeked open and he used his right arm to pull Cas close to his chest. He squeezed tightly for a few seconds before easing up and leaning in to kiss Castiel soundly on the lips. 

“Now go. Can’t have you getting grounded over this,” Dean mumbled, removing his arm from around Cas' waist and burrowing back under the covers. He never was much of a morning person. 

Cas chuckled and slid out of bed, tugging his sweats and socks back on before sneaking back out of the window and heading to his car. 

He arrived at his house a few minutes before six. He crept to the tree next to his window and carefully started to climb upwards. It was a bit easier with the hint of daylight creeping above the horizon. Once inside, he shut the window and shot off a quick text to Dean about his safe arrival. He exited the bathroom and shucked off his sweats and socks, leaving them in a pile to deal with later. He snuck under the covers of his own bed and fell back asleep.

⚣

Dean was awoken by the front door being opened. Usually, he slept through any activity in the house, but apparently he hadn’t been too deeply asleep. He furrowed his brow and squinted at the clock on his nightstand. It was too early for that to have been his mom, and Sam had gone for a jog last night, having voiced his aspirations to sleep in. Dean pushed down his duvet and padded up the stairs. The living room was undisturbed, as was the kitchen. He walked down the hallway and noticed his mother’s bedroom door was still open. He stood still, holding his breath, listening for the slightest movement. After a moment, he heard a bit of shuffling come from Sam’s room. He pressed his ear against the door and softly knocked on the wooden surface. He heard bed springs protesting to movement as a body shifted its weight. Dean quickly pulled his head away from the door when it opened slightly. 

“What do you want Dean?” Sam whispered, opening his door so only his body could be seen. 

“I heard the front door open,” at Dean’s explanation, Sam’s eyes went wide for a moment before he could school his expression back into one of annoyed tiredness. “What the hell was that?”

“What was what?” Sam deflected.

“That face. Why did I hear the front door open?” Dean asked again. Before Sam could answer, Dean heard a sneeze, and didn’t come from either of the brothers. Dean pushed Sam’s door open fully to find a scared-looking Alfie sitting up in Sam’s bed. Dean raised his eyebrows and looked back at his brother. 

“Don’t tell mom,” Sam pleaded, feet frozen to the floor as his brother assessed the situation. Dean’s face broke out into his ‘oh this is just too good’ smile. He laughed before raising his hands in surrender. 

“Sorry to...interrupt,” Dean said before turning to Sammy, “don’t forget to use protection,” he whispered. Sam protested and pushed his brother out of the room, slamming the door in Dean’s face. “Maybe next time, use the window,” Dean muttered to himself as he went back downstairs. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can't let Dean and Cas have all the fun, right? ;)


	10. Born as the Seventh Month Dies

“Hey boys, dinner is ready,” Mary said, poking her head into the den. She waved a hand, prompting Cas and Dean to follow her upstairs to the dining room.

“Where’s Sam?” Dean asked when he noticed the empty chair. 

“He’s over at Alfie’s for the night,” Mary said, taking a seat in her own chair at the head of the table. The boys sat across from each other and loaded their plates with Mary’s lasagna. About halfway through the meal, Mary started a conversation.

“So, Castiel,” she prompted, “I’ve been seeing you around here quite a bit lately,” she stated. 

“Um, yep. Dean and I are pretty good friends,” he said with a tight smile, returning his focus to his plate.

“Mhmm,” Mary responded, turning to her son, “now how come you don’t stay over at Castiel’s house?” she asked. At that question, Castiel spoke up.

“Naomi doesn’t want company over while we’re still settling in. She doesn’t want anyone to know we’re human and we make messes, I guess,” he joked. It wasn’t an outright lie; Naomi was weird about having company over. 

“Naomi?” Mary asked.

“Uh, my step-mom,” Castiel answered. 

“Oh, that’s right. Dean, honey?”

“Yeah mom?” Dean responded, impressed with Castiel’s answer. 

“Are you going to tell me why Castiel is lying to me?” She asked. Both boys’ eyes went wide as they shared a look across the table. 

“I’m not lying”

“He’s not..what?” they said at the same time. 

“Why would Cas lie to you?” Dean asked. 

“I’m assuming it’s to cover _your_ behind,” she said, pointing an accusatory finger at her son. “Look, boys, I wasn’t born yesterday. The way you two look at each other and how you’ve been inseparable for the past month,” she said, eyebrows raised. 

“I’m not sure I’m following you, mom,” Dean said. She just gave him a _look_. 

“When were you two going to tell me you were dating?” She asked outright. Dean’s jaw dropped and Castiel started choking on the bite of food he had taken. After his coughing subsided, he shared a look with Dean. 

“Mom we’re not-”

“We weren’t going to tell you because of me,” Castiel rushed out, cutting Dean off. 

“And why is that?” Mary asked, genuine curiosity in her eyes. 

“I didn’t want anyone to know in case it got back to Naomi,” Castiel explained, fear obvious in his eyes. Mary’s expression softened at Castiel’s confession. “You’re not going to tell her, are you?” he asked nervously.

“Oh, sweetie, of course not. If this _Naomi_ gal has a problem with you dating my son, then she and I can have a few words. But if it’s important that she stays in the dark, I will hold my tongue,” Mary promised. Castiel let out a slow breath of release.

“Thank you so much,” Castiel said. The rest of the dinner went smoothly and Mary reminded Dean to leave the door open as the boys made their way downstairs. 

“So um...that was interesting,” Dean said. 

“I almost shit my pants,” Castiel replied, smiling. Dean laughed and flopped onto his bed. Castiel looked at the ground and chewed on the inside of his cheek. 

“I should probably head home,” Castiel said.

“Are you sure? We could watch a movie or something,” Dean suggested. Cas smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. 

“Nah, I think I should head home. Tomorrow’s Sunday and Naomi is going to drag me to church again so I should probably head back,” he said. Dean didn’t look convinced, but got off the bed nonetheless. 

“Let me walk you to your car,” he offered. They exited his room and made their way outside. Before Castiel could climb into his car, Dean enveloped him in a hug that lasted many long seconds. Castiel put his arms around Dean’s neck as he pulled back slightly. They stood like that for a long moment. 

“Text me when you get home, alright?” Dean asked.

“Of course,” Castiel replied, “tell Mary thanks for me again. She’s being pretty cool about us,” he said. 

“Will do,” Dean said, leaning in to steal a kiss before Cas got in his car and drove away.

“That was cute,” his mother said as he closed the front door behind him.

“Shut up,” Dean said, blushing as he made his way back to his room. 

⚣

A week later found Dean sitting on the couch, waiting for his boyfriend to return after wandering into the kitchen in search of water. It was July 31st, and as a family tradition, the Winchesters gathered in the living room to watch the Harry Potter series. All eight movies in one sitting. Around 20 hours of nonstop magic. Mary usually didn’t fit all the movies in, but the boys normally made it through a majority of them without falling asleep or getting distracted. Dean had invited Cas and Sam had invited Alfie. 

Luckily, Naomi was out of town until tomorrow, so Cas was able to join them for the entire marathon. 

The older couple got the loveseat to themselves while the younger boys shared the full couch with Mary (for as long as she would continue watching). The marathon started at nine that morning. 

It was now well past ten p.m. and the credits started to roll on the fifth movie: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Cas walked back in the room, a smirk on his face. Dean looked away from the TV to catch Cas' smirk and give his boyfriend a questioning look. Not ten minutes later, Castiel decided he needed to start torturing Dean. He slowly, and undetected by anyone but Dean and himself, leaned in and whispered into Dean’s ear, “I was taking a hot shower before I came over this morning,” he started, hand sliding up to rest on Dean’s thigh, “I starting thinking of you,” at that confession, Dean took a deep breath a squirmed minutely on the couch.

“I had to make it a cold shower. Wouldn’t want anyone to hear me doing anything _naughty_ ,” Cas divulged, licking the shell of Dean’s ear before withdrawing to sit upright on his side of the loveseat. 

Dean swallowed thickly before grabbing the blanket off the back of the couch and tossing it over his legs. He trained his eyes on the screen and tried not to let his mind wander to Cas' completely inappropriate avowal.

Dean was doing pretty well until, “I didn’t actually take a cold shower,” Castiel confessed. “I had the house to myself and I let my mind... _wander_ ,” he disclosed, reaching over to Dean’s lap. He took the edge of the blanket and moved it over so both their lower halves were covered. 

“Of course, my mind wasn’t the only thing that wandered,” Cas said, punctuating his admission by placing his hand on Dean’s thigh, slowly creeping closer and closer until....

"Hey, wait where-" Dean asked in confusion as Cas slid off the couch.

"I have to pee," he said with a smile, walking towards the bathroom. 

_"Oh yeah, leave me with a hard on so you can go empty your bladder,"_ Dean thought bitterly. Just as he thought that, the remembered other occupants of the room. He blushed furiously, thankful that the only source of light was coming from the television.

Now Dean saw Cas' game. He was _trying_ to give him a hard on in front of his family. Well, two could play at that game. 

When Cas came back, he returned to sharing the blanket with his boyfriend. Dean reached under the quilt, positioning his hand right above Cas' crotch. When Dean placed his hand firmly on Cas' inner thigh, the shorter boy jumped slightly.

"You really want to play this game?" Dean whispered into Cas' ear. 

As a response, Castiel took the hand that was on his thigh and placed it exactly where he wanted it. 

"I'm not going to do this right in front of my family," Dean whispered frantically, losing his nerve as his eyes darted to the other couch. 

Cas seemed to think about it, and abruptly stood up. Dean panicked a little before looking at the other couch, where, upon closer inspection, he noticed they had all fallen asleep. 

Cas leaned down and whispered in that low voice he gets when he's turned on. 

"Then I guess we better move this to your room," he suggested before going downstairs and waiting for Dean. 

You didn't have to tell him twice. He darted to the basement and caught up with Cas at his bedroom door. He pushed Cas inside and onto his bed. 

"You're in big trouble, Mister," Dean said, closing the door before slowly taking off his shirt. Cas smirked and did the same, daring Dean with one look and a raise of the eyebrows to come and get him. Dean did just that. 

He swept down onto the bed and kissed Cas with everything he had. His hand traveled down back to where it was when they were on the couch. Cas hummed in pleasure and bucked up into Dean's hand. 

"Remember babe, we gotta keep quiet," Dean said, kissing Cas' neck but being careful not to leave any marks. Castiel had relayed a story about a time when Michael had come home on a Friday night with a hickey on his neck. Naomi was not impressed. She had grounded him for the rest of the weekend and told the girl’s parents about what the pair was getting up to behind closed doors. Needless to say, Castiel was adamantly against visible hickeys.

Dean moved lower until he reached Cas' collar bones. Now, these Cas could hide from Naomi. Dean got to work leaving hickeys everywhere he could. After a moment, Cas pulled Dean up by his hair and kissed him hard. 

"If you keep doing that, I'm gonna get my ass whooped," Cas said. Dean grinned into the kiss. 

"Consider them payback for awkward family movie night," Dean said in reference to the hickeys before silencing them both with a kiss. One of Cas' hands remained in Dean's hair while the other travelled down to grope his ass. Cas loved Dean's ass, and Dean knew it. 

Dean told Cas to spread his legs so he could slot their hips together. Dean locked eyes with Cas, and with a devilish smile, started grinding down on Cas. The shorter boy started to moan before Dean quickly covered Cas' mouth with his hand. 

"What did I tell you about being quiet?" Dean asked rhetorically. "And licking my hand isn't going to do anything either," he said with a smile. He removed his hand and replaced it with his mouth. Cas' tongue felt much better in his mouth. Dean rolled his hips deliciously onto Cas'. 

"Hey Dean, mom want- WHAT THE HELL?" 

The boys looked over to the door to find a shocked Sam staring back at them. After only a moment to register what exactly was going on, Dean leapt off the bed and placed his hand on Sam's shoulder. 

"If you tell mom what we were doing I swear to god I'll fuckin’ kill you," Dean said lowly. "What did she want?"

"F-for you to come upstairs. She didn't specify," Sam said, too shocked about what he walked in on to say anything else.

"Well go tell her I'll be right up, and keep your mouth shut about this," Dean said. Sam turned tail and did just that. 

"Shit. I am so sorry Cas," Dean apologized. 

"It's fine,” he replied quietly, “you should probably head up there," he added, getting up to put his shirt back on. Dean got dressed as well and headed upstairs. 

"You wanted to see me?" Dean asked, trying not to think about what he'd been doing not five minutes ago. 

"Is Cas still here?" She asked. 

"Yeah," Dean answered, afraid of where this conversation might go.

"Well, it's getting late, he should probably head home," she told him. Dean would be lying if he said he was expecting that. He thought for sure that he and Cas were busted. That being said, he still didn’t want his boyfriend to leave. 

"But mom-" he started to argue.

"Don't _but mom_ me. You boys need your sleep. I can’t imagine Naomi will appreciate him staying out too late," she told him, leaving no room for argument. 

"Ok," Dean hung his head and went back downstairs. 

"So what did she want?" Cas asked, fearing the worst.

"She said you had to leave," Dean replied. 

"She didn't...hear us, did she?" Cas asked worriedly. 

"No, no she just said it was getting late and Naomi's a nazi so you should get going." 

"She called Naomi a nazi?" Cas asked with amusement evident in his voice. 

"I might be paraphrasing," Dean said with a smile. 

"She’s right, though. Plus, Naomi will probably drag me to church tomorrow, so I really should be heading home. I still can’t believe she schedules her business trips so she’s back by Sunday morning," Cas said, going over to give Dean a hug. Dean ran his fingers over the hickeys he knew were hidden under Cas' shirt. 

"Text me when you get home," Dean said, placing a soft kiss on Cas' lips. 

"As you wish," Cas replied.


	11. Michael's Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw for graphic depiction of suicide attempt

"Castiel! Wake up it's time to get ready for church!" Naomi yelled from down the hall. Cas groaned and rubbed his eyes. 

Every. Single. Sunday. She dragged him and his father to church _every_ Sunday. The Novaks _never_ went to church before his father married Naomi, and now Bart would act like it was the highlight of his week. 

That was...when he went. 

He always tried to be out of town for the weekend. He'd even make up a bullshit story about how he had to stay an extra day _just_ to skip church. Which left Castiel alone to deal with it. 

That was how it was on that particular Sunday. 

He dragged himself out of bed and went into his ensuite to take a shower. After that, he brushed his teeth and got dressed. That was another thing he hated about church. Dressing up. 

Was it necessary for him to wear slacks and a button-up every time? He didn't even believe in the teachings of the church, for Christ's sake! Why should he be forced to wear uncomfortable clothing to attend a mass he didn't want to be at?

He walked downstairs and slipped on his dress shoes. Naomi gave him a once over and seemed to approve of his outfit. They climbed into the car and headed to the chapel. 

After an hour of off key singing and hypocritical prayers, he returned home. He immediately went upstairs and changed into something more comfortable. When he returned to the living room, he noticed someone sitting on the couch.

“Michael?” Castiel called out. His brother turned his head to look at Castiel. “What are you doing here?” he asked.

“Well, I’d like to think I’m welcome in my own parents’ house, wouldn’t you?” Michael said, plastering on his trademark charming smile. “I’m only here until Wednesday. Business stuff,” he explained further. Just then, Castiel’s phone alerted him to a text.

_> >> Wanna hang out with Sam, Dean, and me? -Alfie_

“Who’s that?” Michael asked. Castiel’s eyes shot up as he shoved his phone back into his pocket. 

“Nobody,” he answered, “I’m gonna go for a walk,” Castiel said, thinking of an excuse to get away from his brother. 

“I’ll join you,” Michael said, getting off of the couch and heading towards the door. Castiel closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He put on his shoes and followed after his brother. 

“So how’s Kansas? I haven’t had a chance to see much of it,” Michael said.

“It’s alright,” Castiel answered, “I miss Chicago though."

“It is a beautiful city, isn't it?” Michael said in a sort of dreamy tone. 

“How’s work been?” Castiel asked conversationally. 

“It’s been going well,” Michael answered. Castiel wanted to roll his eyes. Of course work had been going well. That tends to happen when you are your employer’s favorite step-son. 

“Have you made any friends?” Michael asked.

“Yeah, a few people at school are pretty cool,” Castiel answered vaguely. Michael nodded his head.

“What about you?” Castiel asked, “Have you met anyone?” 

Michael chuckled. 

“As a matter of fact, I have. Here, let me show you a picture,” he said, pulling out his phone. On the screen was a beautiful redhead smiling at the camera. She was wearing a salmon cardigan and she had pushed back some of her hair behind her ear.

“That’s Anna,” Michael said, “she is a feisty one, I tell you what. But she does keep me in line,” he said. 

“So the two of you are together?” Castiel asked. 

“Yeah. Have been for a few months now,” Michael replied.

“What does she do?” 

“She’s in school to be an art teacher. She’s very talented,” he said. 

“I’m sure dad and Naomi will want to meet her,” Castiel said. 

“You still call her Naomi?” Michael asked, a hint of condescension in his voice.

“Yes,” Castiel answered quickly. “I will always call her Naomi,” he stated. 

“You know, I bet she’d really appreciate it if you started calling her mom,” Michael said. Castiel immediately halted. 

“What?” he asked in disbelief. 

“Castiel. It’s been three years,” Michael tried to reason.

“So? You think three years of treating me like crap automatically earns her the title ‘mom’?” asked indignantly. 

“I’m sure you’re overreacting,” Michael modulated. 

“No, I’m not,” Castiel assured him. Michael raised his hands as if to say ‘don’t shoot’. 

“I’m not going to make you call her mom,” Michael said, proceeding to walk again. Castiel caught up and they finished their walk in silence. When they arrived home, Castiel retreated up to his bedroom and pulled out his phone. 

_< << I’m not sure that’s a great idea -Castiel_

_> >> Why not??? -Alfie_

_< << Michael's home -Castiel_

He chewed on his lip nervously and looked around his room. He started organizing things just so he had something else to do. On the bright side, he finally put away those clean clothes that had been sitting in a pile next to his dresser all week. After about half an hour, Cas got a text message. 

_> >> Who’s Michael? -Dean_

_< << Dean? -Castiel_

He was confused as to why Dean was texting him about Michael. He _had_ sent those other texts to Alfie, right? 

_> >> Yeah. Who’s Michael? -Dean_

_< << My brother -Castiel_

_> >> And? -Dean_

_< << It’s a long story -Castiel_

_> >> I’m not doing anything tonight. You can tell me the whole thing -Dean_

_< << I don’t want to talk about it -Castiel_

_> >> I won’t judge you or anything -Dean_

About an hour went by and Dean still hadn’t received a reply. 

_> >> Look, I won’t force you to tell me, but Alfie’s pretty upset -Dean_

Another hour passed. 

_> >> Cas, what’s up with Michael? Alfie still isn’t ok -Dean_

Two more hours came and left, still no answer. 

_> >> Seriously Cas?_ _I’m just trying to understand what’s going on and you’re giving me the silent treatment? -Dean_

About five minutes after he sent that text, Dean’s bedroom door opened.

“Cas?” Dean asked, puzzled by the boy’s arrival.

“What did Alfie tell you?” Castiel demanded. 

“What? Nothing. He locked himself in Sam’s room and refuses to let anyone in,” Dean explained. “What the fuck happened?” Castiel started pacing Dean’s room, pausing every so often and acting like he was about to say something before continuing to pace. 

“Cas!” Dean barked. Castiel stopped in his tracks. He centered his gaze on Dean. 

“Back in Chicago, Alfie and I were really good friends. He was there for me when my mom died, even when I acted like an asshole to him. One night, the summer before my sophomore year, he was sleeping over while Michael was ‘babysitting’ us. We were in my room and he basically told me that he was gay and that he had feelings for me. I had been going through a really rough place in my life, and a lot of things were complicated about what Alfie had told me. For starters, I had been sleeping with Balthazar for almost a year, completely under the radar for everyone, except for Alfie, who I told everything to. He was the only person I could talk to about what went on between me and Balthazar. Alfie knew that Balthazar and I weren’t exclusive, and the offer of a real, stable relationship was tempting for me. I kissed Alfie to see if there was anything _there_ , and Alfie kissed back. Michael walked in on us and sort of flipped out. He demanded that Alfie pack his bags then he drove him home. I don’t know what Michael said or did to Alfie, but he stopped talking to me. I even walked for two hours to get to his house, but he just told me to go away. On the first day of school, I looked all over for him, but some kid told me that he had moved. He didn’t even tell me he was moving, or where. I lost my best friend and I was fucking bulldozed into the closet. A huge part of me was forced down by my own goddamn brother. The only person I talked to about my mom was uprooted from my life and shipped off to god knows where. So when I tell you I don’t want to talk about it, I don’t. Want. To talk. About it,” Castiel said through gritted teeth. Dean saw fire in those blue eyes. He swallowed thickly and processed all the new information. 

“I’m sorry Cas, I-”

“Where’s Alfie?” Castiel interrupted. 

“In Sam’s room,” Dean said. Castiel exited the bedroom and marched upstairs. He saw Sam sitting outside of a closed door. 

“He in there?” Cas asked. Sam nodded his head. The older boy went up to the door and knocked in a strange pattern. After a few moments, Sam heard the same strange pattern repeated from the other side of the door. 

“Cas?” a wobbly voice questioned.

“Yeah, it’s me. Can you open the door?” he asked gently. The door creaked open, revealing a tear stained Alfie. Castiel entered the room and closed the door behind him. Alfie went over to Sam’s bed and curled up into a ball. Castiel followed him and gently rubbed circles into Alfie’s shoulder. 

“Does he know I’m here?” Alfie asked after a while. 

“No,” Castiel said. A small amount of relief passed through Alfie’s red-rimmed eyes. 

“I am so sorry about what happened back in Chicago. I never got the chance to apologize, and I feel incredibly bad for it - _all_ of it. I put you into some really shitty situations. I want to make up for that, and I need you to tell me what Michael said to you when he dropped you off that night,” Castiel said, voice filled with a grab bag of emotions; the most prevalent one being desperation. Alfie tensed up again and new tears threatened to fall from his eyes. He just shook his head. 

“Please, Alfie. I want to help you,” Cas begged. 

“He-he um, first, he yelled at m-me,” Alfie stuttered, “He t-told me I was going to h-hell, and then he threatened me. He s-said he was gonna t-tell my parents that I l-liked boys. He even said he’d t-teach me right from wrong if-if I ever talked to you again,” Alfie said. 

“Oh my god,” Cas whispered.

“I was scared shitless, Cas. I didn’t kn-know that liking boys was wrong, and the first t-time I ever kiss one, Michael makes me afraid to even _l-look_ at a boy,” Alfie said, wiping off tears as they rolled down his face, hiccuping through his confession, “Then, m-my dad tells me we’re moving, and I was s-such a fucking coward that I...I didn’t even have the d-decency to tell you,” Alfie declared. 

“Don’t even think about apologizing to me. I’ve forgiven you a thousand times for not telling me that you were moving. Lord knows I put you through worse. And liking boys is _not_ wrong, Alfie. You know that. Michael was just a homophobic asshole,” Castiel reasoned. 

“I know, but...I looked up to him, Cas. I admired him, and then he said all those things. I wasn't like you or Balthazar who could just shake things off, I took things way too personally and I-I...Cas. I wasn’t in such a great place myself. We had just moved and I was all alone and I was s-scared to talk to anyone. Do you know what I almost did?” Alfie cried, getting hysterical. 

“Alfie, _please_ don’t say what I think you’re going to say,” Castiel urged, tears forming in his eyes at the mere thought. 

“I almostkilled myself, Cas,” Alfie confessed in a whisper, “I was so _fucking_ close. I had it all planned out. I wrote a note and everything. I even took a knife from the kitchen and snuck it into my room,” Castiel started crying at Alfie’s confession, “I stared at myself in the mirror for a long time. Michael’s voice telling me horrible, horrible things. My _own_ voice starting to tell me bad things, too. I was holding the knife on my wrist, ready to cut a long, vertical line when a knock on the door made me jump. I ended up giving myself this scar,” he said, rolling up the sleeve on his left arm to reveal a cut about five inches long, “my mom was the one that had opened my door. She screamed, I looked down at all the blood on my arm, and that’s the last thing I remembered before I passed out,” Alfie said. 

After a short moment, the two boys heard a timid knock on the door. They shared a look before Castiel rolled off the bed and swung it open. 

Sam stood there, fear in his eyes. 

“Did your brother really do that?” he whispered. Castiel felt shame rise inside him. He nodded to answer Sam’s question and realized it wasn’t shame rising inside him. He quickly pushed Sam aside and ran towards the bathroom, emptying the contents of his stomach before slumping next to the toilet. Castiel cried almost as hard as when his father told him about his mother’s death. He didn’t know Michael had driven Alfie that far. He didn’t know his friend was in so much pain. He was so busy talking to Alfie about his own problems that Alfie never had the chance to discuss his own.

“Cas? Castiel, can you hear me? Please, baby, say something,” Castiel hadn’t even noticed Dean enter the room. He just cried harder. Dean sat next to him and pulled him close. Cas wrapped his arms around Dean’s waist. Dean held him as he shook from the force of his sobs. Tears were no longer coming out of Cas' eyes. He just sat there, body spasming because it didn’t know how else to react to the news. 

After what seemed like an eternity, Castiel finally managed to calm himself down. 

“It's all my fault,” Castiel said hoarsely. 

“Don't do that. Don't blame yourself,” Dean said. 

“Alfie almost...and it was because Michael said...and I-I did...I can't believe it,” Castiel said, “I'm gonna fucking kill him,” Castiel growled.

“Hey, woah, Cas. Think about what you're saying here,” Dean tried to reason. 

“He had no right! None!” Castiel shouted. 

“Babe, please. I promise, violence is not going to fix anything,” Dean warned. 

“But he _deserves_ it,” Castiel tried to reason. 

“Cas, you're scaring me,” Dean said. Enraged blue eyes met terrified green ones. Castiel blinked once, twice, finally the anger seeped out in the form of tears. 

“I'm sorry,” Castiel said before standing up on unsteady legs. “I have to leave,” he announced, taking a step towards the door. 

“Oh hell no,” Dean said, blocking Cas' path. “You really think I'm going to let you drive home like this?” Dean asked incredulously. 

“I walked,” Cas said flatly. Dean held his ground. 

“And you're gonna walk straight to my room, you hear me?” Dean instructed, leaving no room for arguing. They exited the bathroom and Dean watched as Cas plodded down the steps. 

“What the hell is going on?” Mary asked from her seat at the table. 

“Michael’s home,” Dean answered before following his boyfriend downstairs.


	12. Two Minutes to Midnight

Mary tried to ignore the situation long enough for her boys to sort themselves out. She tried vacuuming the living room. She tried cleaning the bathroom. She tried making cookies. She even went out and picked up groceries for the week. She tried anything she could think of to occupy her time. Finally, after hoursof absolutely no communication, she decided to take matters into her own hands. 

She went downstairs and knocked on Dean’s door. To her surprise, Castiel was the one to greet her. He did not seem surprised; he seemed more resigned than anything, as if he was waiting for Mary to knock on the door. 

He looked to his left at Dean’s bed. The owner was sound asleep, exhausted from the day’s events. Cas slipped out of the room and gently pulled the door closed behind him. He silently suggested to go upstairs to talk. Mary led the way.

Once they were seated at the dining room table, Castiel with a mug of hot chocolate, Mary with a cup of tea, the boy spoke up. 

“I’m going to assume you want an explanation,” Castiel asked, staring into his steamy mug. 

“I won’t force it out of you,” Mary said gently, “but I can’t stand it when my boys are upset."

Castiel closed his eyes, too embarrassed to look at Mary. 

“I’m so sorry. I shouldn't be putting Sam and Dean through all th-” Castiel’s apology was cut short. 

“Now, Castiel, don’t go apologizing about them and them alone. You and Alfie are as much mine as they are. I don’t like it when _any_ of you are upset,” she explained. Despite himself, Castiel smiled. He hadn’t had a mother in so long, he almost forgot what it was like to have someone care about him the way Mary did. 

Castiel relayed his and Alfie’s story, not able to look Mary in the eye. After he was finished, Mary took a long sip of her tea. 

“Oh, honey. Nobody is going to lay a finger on Alfie. He came out a long time ago and his parents love him just as much as they always had. He doesn’t have to worry about Michael coming for him,” she soothed. When Castiel still wouldn’t meet her eye, she put two and two together. 

“But you’re not afraid of Michael outing Alfie,” she said, “you’re afraid he’ll out _you_ to Naomi,” she concluded. Castiel nodded as he wiped at his wet eyes. He was frustrated with himself. He felt like a baby with the way he'd been crying so often lately. 

“She already gets mad enough when I do something that doesn’t fit into her perfect vision of me, I don’t want to know what she would do if Michael told her,” Castiel confided. 

“Castiel, what do you mean she already gets mad enough? What does she do?” Mary asked concernedly. Castiel took a slow, deep breath. 

“She, uh, wow, this is embarrassing,” Castiel said, putting his face into his palms, “she usually doesn’t do anything physical,” he started, “she just blames me for everything. She always has to have the last word in an argument. She has never apologized to me once in my entire life, even though she should have at least a dozen times. She tracks my phone because she doesn’t trust me. I had to have a friend show me how to manipulate the tracking device just so I can come here and see Dean. I’m pretty sure she tries to get into my phone to read my texts, but she can never guess the password. And when I stayed out past curfew, she locked the front door and threatened to lock all of the doors if it happened again,” Castiel admitted. He left off the bit about the ruler, feeling too raw and vulnerable from the events of the day to open that particular can of worms. He hadn’t told anyone about that night, not even Dean. 

Mary couldn’t believe what she was hearing. How could a mother - even a step mother - treat their child like that? Teenagers made mistakes, it’s what they _did_. She couldn’t even fathom locking one of her boys out of the house. Sure, she’d be upset with them, but she’d rather have them safe inside the house than left to their own devices out in the cold. 

“Oh, sweetie, come here,” Mary said, standing up and holding her arms out. Castiel obeyed and entered the hug. He was ashamed, but also relieved after getting all of that off his chest. “You can always come here if she locks you out,” Mary said, “hell, you can come here if she looks at you the wrong way."

“Thank you so much, Mary,” Castiel said, voice muffled into Mary’s shoulder. 

“And you can stay here as long as you need. If you ever need a place to stay, for any amount of time, just head on out here. You’re always welcome,” Mary offered. Castiel pulled back and quickly wiped his eyes. 

“I should go,” he said, making his way to the entryway.

“Oh hell no,” Mary interjected, “you are not going back to that house tonight. Go downstairs and make yourself comfortable. I’ll even let you keep the door closed for the night,” she said. 

“I really shouldn’t,” Castiel tried arguing.

“You’re staying here,” she insisted, putting her hands on her hips. “Now go snuggle with your boyfriend. You need him right now,” she instructed. 

Not wanting to cross Mary, he clambered down the stairs and gently opened the door, lest he disturb Dean’s sleep. His efforts were futile, as Dean made eye contact with him upon his entrance.

“Where’d you go?” Dean asked in a whisper. Castiel contemplated whether or not to make something up as he pulled off his jeans and crawled into Dean’s bed. The taller boy lifted his arm, allowing Cas to lie under it. Once Cas' back was pressed fully against Dean’s chest, he spoke up. 

“Mary wanted to talk to me,” he answered truthfully. 

“About what?” Dean asked before yawning loudly. Cas yawned as well before answering. 

“About what was going on tonight. I filled her in and when I said I had to leave, she ordered me to come down here and spend the night. She even said we could keep the door closed,” Cas explained. Dean hummed in approval and wrapped his arm a little tighter around his boyfriend.

“So... what _was_ that all about?” Dean cautioned. Castiel wanted to tell him, he really did, but he just couldn’t bring himself to recount those memories yet again. Castiel sighed and snuggled a bit closer to the warm body behind him.

“Not tonight,” Castiel replied. He needed to sleep. He vowed silently to tell Dean the truth. The entire truth, no matter how bad it made him look...just not at that moment. 

“Okay,” Dean said. Cas could hear the disappointment in his voice. His heart sank. He turned around in his boyfriend’s arms and pressed their foreheads together.

“I’m sorry,” Cas whispered. He just couldn’t bring himself to explain any further. Castiel felt Dean nod against his own head. They kissed once more before Cas turned back around to resume his position as the little spoon. 

If he shed a tear or two before falling asleep, that was his secret to keep. He felt Dean’s breathing even out and he knew his boyfriend was once again fast asleep. Castiel relaxed into Dean’s warm body and drifted off as well. 

⚣

When Castiel arrived home around seven the next morning, he walked directly to the kitchen. It had taken an hour to walk home. When he was driving, it usually only took him about five minutes to get to Dean’s house.

He had slipped out as soon as he woke up, not wanting to overstay his welcome. Now, he was starving, having not eaten since lunch the previous day.

“Where have you been?” Naomi asked from her seat at the table. Castiel, having already prepared an answer, continued about the kitchen, making himself a bowl of cereal. 

“I went for a walk this morning. I woke up early and couldn’t get back to sleep,” he lied. Naomi stabbed another chunk out of her half of a grapefruit with her fork and popped it into her mouth. She finished chewing before speaking. 

“Well that’s funny, because Michael just went for a jog around the neighborhood,” she said, “he didn’t mention seeing you,” Castiel froze. He had not accounted for that.

Castiel poured milk over his Cinnamon Toast Crunch and returned the jug to the fridge, trying desperately to think of an excuse. 

“So, I’m going to ask again; where have you been?” Naomi challenged, digging into her scrambled eggs after having finished her fruit. 

“Naomi, I don’t need the third degree this early. My car’s been here all night. I didn’t go anywhere,” Castiel insisted. Technically, his _car_ washere all night. He grabbed a spoon out of the drawer and booked it out of the kitchen. 

“Not so fast!” she called out. Castiel sighed and turned around.

“I was probably down by the river,” Castiel said, hoping his brother’s jogging route didn’t go too close to the river running along the back of the neighborhood. Naomi seemed to think over Cas' answer. 

“Since I did notice your car parked here when I went out to grab the paper this morning, I’ll believe you,” she started, “but I have to say that that is very peculiar behavior coming from you, Castiel,” she said. 

“I take walks all the time,” Castiel protested defensively.

“Now, don’t get all worked up,” Naomi mediated, “you locked yourself in your room around two and we didn’t see you the rest of the night."

“I wasn’t feeling well,” Castiel said, again, _technically_ it wasn’t a lie. He did end up getting sick. He turned on his heel and quickly retreated to his room. He didn’t normally bring his cereal to his room in the mornings, but today he was making an exception. Anything to get away from Naomi’s questions. 


	13. Night Games

Two short weeks later, Castiel found himself with only two full days left of summer vacation. It was funny how fast time flew when your parents were out of town almost every weekend, and you had a new boyfriend to spend your nights with. 

“Let me see your schedule again,” Dean requested, holding out his hand for the white sheet of paper. “American Government, Psychology, College Prep., French IV?” Dean asked, “I didn’t know you could speak French”.

“Un petit peu,” Castiel replied. Dean just raised his eyebrows and shook his head.

“Uhn peh-tee puh?” he inquired.

“Un petit peu...a little bit. I speak a little bit of french. My mom used to teach me a few phrases when I was growing up. Nothing to write home about,” Castiel explained. He hesitated before adding on, “Balthazar is also fluent. I might’ve picked up a few...phrases from him.” Dean raised an eyebrow, but didn’t press for more. 

“That’s really cool. I wish I could speak another language,” Dean said.

“Maybe I can teach you sometime,” Castiel offered, “if you’re good,” he added with a devilish smile. 

“If _I’m_ good?” Dean asked incredulously, “that’s rich, coming from the one who tells his parents that he’s going over to ‘Kevin’s house’ to ‘study’ on a regular basis,” Dean said, using air quotes to punctuate his statement. “Where are you right now, technically?” Dean asked, eyebrows reaching his hairline. Castiel just smirked.

“At the school,” Castiel said, “fixing my schedule. Which I took care of last week, actually,” Castiel divulged.

“Yeah, but at what cost? I mean...Calculus _and_ AP English? Right in a row?” Dean asked as he analyzed his boyfriend's schedule, “and you chose _gym_ to end your day? That’s just cruel.”

“At least I won’t have to take math in college. Or English,” Castiel tacked on. “And it’s not my fault your school requires more P.E. credits than mine did. What about you? What’s your schedule?” he asked, scooting closer to Dean on the couch, scanning Dean’s schedule.

“So it looks like we have government together...and calculus. You little shit, you were _just_ making fun of me for that class!” Castiel said.

“No, I was making fun of you for taking that _and_ AP English,” Dean clarified, holding up a finger. 

“You’re so annoying,” Castiel said with a smile, leaning in for a small kiss. 

“And I get an early out right after math,” Dean said. Cas punched him in the arm.

“You suck. You get an early out? Really?” Dean just shrugged and laughed. “What else do you have, anyway?” Castiel asked, snatching the paper from Dean’s hands. “Let’s see, Government, _Advanced_ Woods,” Castiel made eye contact with Dean and winked at the unsaid innuendo before continuing, “Student Aide, 12th Grade English, slacker, lunch with me, Weights, and Calculus,” Castiel recited. 

“So we get to start and end our days together,” Dean noticed, “well, we end _my_ day together,” he added. Castiel just glared at him and shook his head. 

At that moment, the boys heard the front door open and footsteps walk towards the den.

“Hey, just the guys I wanted to see,” Alfie greeted, followed shortly after by Sam. The boys said their hellos and Alfie took a seat on the recliner closest to the couch. “So, summer’s ending here pretty quick,” he said, folding his hands and setting his elbows on his knees, “and on the second to last day of summer, I always have a group come up to my neighborhood and play night games,” Alfie said with a smile. Dean grinned widely as well and looked at Cas. 

“Um, what are night games?” Castiel asked, brows furrowed in confusion.

“Only the best part of the summer!” Dean answered. “Count us in, Alfie,” Dean said, excitement obvious on his face. Alfie grinned and followed Sam back upstairs. 

“So, yeah, I’m gonna need a little more background on the ‘night games’ thing,” Castiel prompted, utterly confused by the last two minutes. Dean grinned widely. Then his eyebrows drew together and his smile faded. 

“How the hell have you never heard of night games?” he all but shouted. Castiel put his hands up in defence. 

“I don’t know!” Castiel defended. 

“C’mon. Wave? Sardines? Cops and Robbers? _Fugitive?_ ” Dean listed, hoping one of the titles would jog his boyfriend’s memory. Cas' eyes remained wide and all he could do was shrug. “Jesus Christ, Cas,” Dean sighed and shook his head. “I guess we’re gonna learn about night games, aren’t we? Alright, which one did I say first?” Dean asked.

“Um...wave? I think?” Cas replied. Dean smiled.

“Ah yes, wave. So, you pick somebody to be ‘it’. The rest of us all run and find a place to hide. This one usually doesn’t span the whole neighborhood. If “it” finds someone he calls out their name. The person whose name was called has to follow the person who’s “it”. While they are walking around looking for the others, if the person who’s following “it” secretly gets waved to by someone hiding, they can sneak away from the person who’s “it” and go and hide again. Once someone’s name is called 3 times, they are “it” and the game continues,” Dean explained. Castiel nodded in understanding. 

“Alright. That seems simple enough,” Cas stated. 

“Sardines,” Dean started, “is like the opposite of hide-and-go-seek. Only one person runs off and hides while everyone else goes to look for them. Once you find the sardine, you hide with them. The first person to find the sardine _becomes_ the sardine the next round,” Dean illustrated. 

“Yeah, reverse hide-and-go-seek. Got it,” Cas replied, taking all of this in.

“Cops and Robbers is possibly the most popular,” Dean hinted, looking for any sign of recognition on Cas' face. Cas just rolled his eyes and shook his head. 

“I’m sorry I grew up in the city and not in the middle of nowhere where I had to make up games to play to keep me occupied in the summer. Do you know what cities have Dean? _Everything_ ,” Cas said playfully. It was Dean’s turn to shake his head.

“Man, you have _missed out_. Night games are, like, the best part of the summer,” Dean expressed. 

“Well, go on then, explain them to me. Cops and Robbers?” Castiel prompted. 

“Yes, quite possibly the most notorious night game. You split up depending on how many people are playing total. Robbers should outnumber cops _at least_ two to one, but usually way more. For a group of, let’s say ten people, there should be two or three cops. The way we’ve always played it is that you have a pretty limited area to play in. We usually use the park. You set up a ‘jail’ and a ‘safe house’. We’ve always used the tennis court as the jail and the merry-go-round as the safe house. Now, this game can be played in many different ways, so I’m just going to explain how we play it since you’ll be playing with us tonight. 

We establish something as the key to the jail. Normally it’s a tennis ball or a gatorade cap. The cops get to hide it somewhere in the area before the game starts. If the robbers find the key, they can use it to bust out the robbers who have been arrested. The cops can take back the key if they arrest a robber who is in possession of it,” Dean recounted. 

“What do the cops do with the key when they get it back?” Cas asked.

“Excellent question. We play it one of two ways: either the game gets paused and the cops get to hide it again or the cops get to keep it and the robbers are SOL for the rest of the game,” Dean explained. 

“Alright. That’s a little more complicated, but I think I could pick up on it pretty easily,” Cas said, “What’s next?” he prompted. Dean grinned wide. This was his favorite night game. 

“Fugitive,” he stated. Castiel wouldn’t admit this to Dean, but the way he said that actually gave him goosebumps. “This one requires the whole neighborhood. And a few cars,” Dean tacked on. Ignoring Cas' puzzled look, he pressed on with his explanation, “The purpose of the game is to get from point A to point B. This is basically a more mature Cops and Robbers. The cops get cars this time. We usually start at the entrance of the neighborhood and try to get to the far corner of Riverside and Lakehurst. I’ll show you a map of Alfie’s neighborhood before tonight so you know what you're getting yourself into,” Dean promised.

“So anyway, the fugitives are on foot. They get a one minute head start before the cops can go after them. The fugitives have to get to point B without being caught by the cops. The first fugitive to reach point B wins. If you get caught by the police, you have to go back to the starting point. The cops can drive you back if they’re feeling generous, but often times you have to walk. We work on the honor system and cheaters are shunned. Make sure you go all the way back to the start. If you’re caught cheating, you don’t get to be in the next round. We usually combat cheating by making the fugitive take a selfie by the start point and send it in a group chat to the cops. It’s kinda fun,” Dean said. 

“That actually sounds amazing! Do you only do this once a year?” Castiel asked. 

“Well, sometimes we do it more often, but I guess Alfie - and the rest of the group - has been pretty busy,” Dean said. 

“Hmm. So I guess I’ll bring my running shoes tonight,” Castiel said. 

“And a water bottle. Fugitive can really take a lot out of you,” Dean said, only half-joking. 

⚣

When Alfie had first mentioned night games, Cas thought they sounded dumb. He grew up in the city where you either hung out at a club or someone’s house/apartment. You didn’t go running around outside at night. That would’ve been _asking_ to get hurt or robbed. But out here, in the suburbs of a relatively small city, it was something the kids did for fun. They didn’t have any clubs to go to, and being out after dark wasn’t a problem. 

So, after getting past the foreign feeling of playing games outside at night, Castiel actually had a very good time. There was a smile on his face the entire night. Well...almost the entire night. There was one part where Dean was a cop and he was a fugitive and Dean _totally cheated._..but Cas got over it after they made out in Dean’s car. 

Now, it was Sunday morning, and Castiel was not willing to give up this shred of happiness he had earned. 

"Castiel! Wake up it's time to get ready for church!" Naomi yelled from her room. 

Castiel awoke and in an instant he was enraged. He'd never been so angry so early in the morning. He had made up his mind; he was finally going to stand up to Naomi about this. 

"I'm not going!" He yelled, burrowing back into his covers. He heard the distinct footsteps of his step mother coming down the hallway. She burst into his room without even knocking. 

"What did you say?" She demanded of him, crossing her arms and tapping her foot impatiently. Cas lifted his head to look at her. It seemed she always looked at him that way. 

"I said I'm not going," he repeated, studying her expression. 

"I will give you one more chance to say the right thing," she said, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. 

"I'm not going to change my answer. I'm. Not. Going." He said slowly. Her eyes snapped open. 

"Castiel _James_ , get your ass out of bed, you're wasting time!" She yelled. 

"No!" He yelled back. 

"If you do not get out of that bed I will ground you for a week!" She threatened. 

"Do it! It's not like that's anything new!" Castiel retorted. 

"Two weeks!" 

"Even better!" 

It grew very quiet as Naomi fought to compose herself. 

"I will not show up to mass late. If you are not in my car in five minutes, you will be grounded for a month. No technology, no car, no allowance, and extra chores," she said before turning and marching to her car. 

Castiel rolled his eyes and got comfortable on his bed again. Needless to say, he'd be taking the ridiculous punishment. 

He decided he needed to warn Dean of the new development. 

_< << huge fight with Naomi, when she gets back from church I will be a prisoner_

__

_ >>> what the hell happened this early?_

____

_< << I refused to go to church with her, so she's grounding me for a month. No technology, no car, no nothing_

_____ _

_> >> that's ridiculous!!! _

______ _ _

_< << you're telling me. I'm just warning you so you won't text me and wonder why I won't reply_

_______ _ _ _

_> >> Thanks for the heads up _

________ _ _ _ _

_< << yeah, but I do have a window in my room, so I won't be trapped forever _

_________ _ _ _ _ _

_ >>> unless she bars your window _

__________ _ _ _ _ _ _

_< << she is not a Dursley, and I am not Harry Potter _

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ >>> yeah, but I wouldn't put it past her to do something like that _

____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_< << she'd have to find out that I sneak out to do that_

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ >>> I hope you're going to delete these texts before she takes your phone. I'd hate to become an enemy _

______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_< << I'm no amateur ;)_

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ >>> you kill me Cas XD now let me sleep! _

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_< << as you wish_

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Cas smiled at his phone and waited a moment before deleting the conversation. He deleted any more incriminating evidence and changed his password. He turned off his phone completely and climbed out of bed. There was no way he'd be able to go back to sleep now. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

A week into Castiel's punishment, Naomi was attending church (by herself). Castiel was eating breakfast and completing the small amount of homework he had after his first week of senior year. Just then, his father returned from his business trip in Chicago. He walked in from the garage and seemed shocked to find Castiel sitting at the counter. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"What are you doing home?" He asked, checking his watch. "Has Naomi keeled over?" He joked. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"She didn’t tell you?" Cas asked. He was a bit shocked his father didn’t know. He was sure Naomi would’ve complained to her husband about Castiel’s ‘unruly behavior’. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Told me what?" Bartholomew asked as he poured himself some juice. Cas took a bite of his cereal and thought about where to start. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"That I'm no longer attending church," Castiel replied nonchalantly. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

His father choked on his drink. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"You what?" He asked. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Last week, that hag and I had an argument about my attendance. She's grounded me for the month, but I am _not_ going to mass anymore. I call that a fair price to pay," Cas explained. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"First of all, do not call her a hag, she is your mother," he started. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"She is not my mother!" Cas interrupted angrily. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Well, she's my wife, and you will not call her a hag," he said sternly. "Secondly," and his voice gentled, "I'm sorry she's been on your case about the church thing. I understand that we never used to go, and that you don't want to go, and I shouldn't have made you go when she came along. I'll talk to her and try to reason with her," he said, finishing his juice and going upstairs to unpack his suitcase. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Either Cas was going to regain his freedom, or his father was going to be pitted against him. He saw the latter as the more likely outcome. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

True to his word, Castiel's father spoke with Naomi later that afternoon. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Castiel could hear their conversation pretty well from where he was eavesdropping from his bedroom door. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"What do you mean, unground him?" She shouted. "He's crossed a line and it will not be tolerated!"

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"And what line was that, exactly?" He asked, a little intimidated at the rise of her voice. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Everyone in my family attends church, and I mean everyone. I can't have people finding out your son is a heathen," she explained, whispering the last word as if it pained her to speak it. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"You knew before you married me that I wasn't a very religious man," he reasoned. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Then why did you name your sons after angels?" Naomi asked. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"My wife named them," he reminded her. She huffed and brushed her hair out of her face. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Well, your youngest son is not worthy of such a name. Especially if it was given to him by a hypocrite!" She said. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

At this point, Castiel was furious. He marched down the hallway and into the master bedroom. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Who the hell do you think you are, calling my mother a hypocrite?" He asked lowly. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"I meant what I said. A fascination with angels does not give the tramp the right to name her impious child after such a powerful being," she said. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

It felt like Castiel had been slapped across the face. She just insulted him as well as his dead mother. And Bartholomew was just standing there! He clenched his fists by his sides and took two large steps towards her.

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"You bitch," he spat out, "you take that back," he warned. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"That is no way to talk to your mother," she said. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"You are not, and will never be my mother! And I hope to any God that might be out there that you will never _become_ a mother," he snarled. Without warning, she raised her hand and slapped Cas across the face. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Get out of my house," she commanded, nostrils flaring. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Gladly," Cas spat back. He took back his phone and his keys from their night stand drawer and stormed out. He turned on his phone and called Dean as he collected random clothes from his closet. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Cas? I thought Naomi took away your-"

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Dean, I'm coming over," he interrupted. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Um, ok but can you-" Cas ended the call and zipped up his duffel bag, slipping on his shoes before heading downstairs. He was slinging his school bag over his shoulder when his father intercepted him at the door. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Don't go, she didn't mean it," he pleaded. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Yeah right. I don't want to see her face for a week. And I didn't hear you jumping in to defend mom. What, have you forgotten about her already?" He asked. His father grew very quiet. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Don't call me," Cas added before slamming the door behind him. He fired up his engine and ignored the buzzing in his pocket as he peeled out of the driveway. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

At first, he just drove around, trying to calm himself down so he could think. Long after the sun had set, he made his way to Dean's house. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

As soon as he was at the door, it flung open and Dean pulled him into a fierce hug. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"I was worried sick about you! What the hell happened?" He asked into Cas' neck. Castiel could hear sounds from the living room, suggesting that his family was being respectful and giving them space. Cas took Dean's hand and led them to the basement. When they entered Dean's room, Castiel let go and started pacing. Dean sat on the bed and waited patiently for Castiel to gather his thoughts. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He stopped pacing abruptly and faced Dean. He chewed on his finger nails. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"I'm going to need to stay here for a while," he finally managed to say. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Of course, babe, any time," Dean said soothingly, reaching out a hand for Cas to grab. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Cas took hold and Dean pulled him to sit on the bed. He laced their fingers together and looked at Cas. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"What happened?" He repeated gently. Cas took a deep breath. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"My father came home this morning and found me skipping church and I told him that I told Naomi off so he said he'd talk to her and so he did and I could hear them yelling then that fucking bitch called my mom a tramp and a hypocrite and called me a heathen and my father didn't even say anything so I stormed in there and yelled at Naomi and said that I hoped she never became a mother to anyone and then she slapped me she told me to leave so I took back my phone and my keys and I packed and I drove around for a while and now I'm here and...Dean," he rushed out, looking at Dean with tears in his eyes and Dean was so overwhelmed with the new information, but he just hugged Castiel close while the shorter boy buried his face into his shirt. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"She hit you? I swear to god, Cas, if she tries to lay another finger on you,” he threatened. “It's gonna be ok, I gotcha. They're not gonna come here, you're safe here. Just let it out," Dean said in a mantra that soothed Castiel. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Dean was furious. How could you treat a child like that? How could Cas' father stand around and not say anything about the way Naomi was talking about his deceased wife? How could he stand there and watch Naomi slap his son, and say nothing about it? Dean also felt bad for Cas. Dean had always had a supportive family. When his father died, their friends and family all got closer and helped them through it. He couldn't imagine how alone Castiel would be feeling. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

There was a light knock on Dean's door that grabbed the boys' attention. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Is everything alright, Cas?" Mary asked concernedly.

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Cas wanted to say yes but he looked into Mary's kind eyes and he didn't have the heart to lie to her. His lip trembled as he looked down and a tear slipped out. He just shook his head and covered his face with his hands. Mary rushed over and sandwiched Cas between Dean and herself. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Oh, sweetheart, what happened? Was it Naomi? Did you fight? Are you hurt? Have you eaten lately? I'm going to go make some soup, ok?" Mary asked in rapid succession. Castiel would've laughed if he wasn't so wound up. She left the room and hurried upstairs to make Castiel some comfort food. Dean kept Cas close, running a hand up and down his back.

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

⚣

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

After Castiel had been fed, he, Dean, and Mary retired to the living room. There, he relayed his story. The Winchesters were patient with him. They didn’t press for more details; they just sat with him and listened. Castiel had almost forgotten what that was like. Part of him thought this family was a figment of his imagination, that he had dreamt them up as some sort of...coping mechanism. But, as Dean squeezed his hand, he was reminded that they were here for him, in more ways than one. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“And now I’m here,” Castiel finished, taking a deep breath. The room was silent for a few moments. Cas couldn’t stand the quiet, so he filled the silence himself. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I just...I thought my dad might actually stand up for me this time. And...and he didn’t just _not_ stand up for me, he didn’t stand up for my mom...his _wife,_ I’m-” Castiel just shook his head. He didn’t know where he was going with that.

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Can...can you turn on the TV or something? It’s really quiet in here,” Castiel asked. Mary reached for the remote and turned it on, reducing the volume slightly so they could still talk. He thanked her. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I am so sorry that happened, Castiel,” Mary said, concern showing very plainly on her face. “You are certainly welcome here. Dean can stay upstairs with Sam,” she offered. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Um, we can’t...both stay in my room?” Dean asked, having assumed that that was the plan. Mary practically snorted, shaking her head. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“What kind of mother would I be if I let my teenage son sleep in the same bed as his boyfriend? I know I’m progressive, but I’m not _that_ progressive,” she said. “He can stay in your room, and you can share with Sam,” she said, leaving no room for argument. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I don’t want to displace anyone, Mary,” Cas tried to reason. She just waved him off.

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“You’re not displacing anyone, honey, you’ve been through more than someone your age should have to. Did you grab your school stuff before you left?” she asked. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I, uh...yeah” Cas replied, thrown off by the sudden change of subject. Mary nodded. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Good. If I’m not mistaken, it is a school night. Now, you boys are in high school, so I let you set your own bedtimes, but it’s nearly eleven,” she said, giving them a _look_. The boys nodded and stood up, heading to the basement. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Castiel opened his duffle bag while Dean rummaged through his drawers for some pajamas. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“I’m sorry that I’m stealing your bed,” Cas apologized. Dean turned around. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Don’t even worry about it, babe. You’re not stealing anything,” he assured his boyfriend, pulling him into a tight embrace. Dean was about to pull away, but Castiel clutched tighter, keeping Dean’s arms around him for a few moments longer. Dean happily obliged, knowing that his boyfriend had gone through a lot. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

When Castiel was ready, he pulled back and looked at Dean. His boyfriend smiled and leaned in for a sweet kiss. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Goodnight, sweetheart,” Dean said, kissing Cas on the forehead. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Goodnight Dean,” Cas replied. “What time do you usually leave for school?” he asked before Dean left. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“We’re usually out the door between 7:30 and 7:40,” he replied. Castiel nodded, and he was left to go through his nightly routine. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

As he shuffled through his haphazardly thrown-together duffle bag, he realized that he had packed much less than he thought. He told himself he’d deal with that later and brushed his teeth before climbing into Dean’s bed. It felt a little empty without his boyfriend there, but Castiel was grateful that Mary even let him stay, so he wasn’t about to complain about anything. 

________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	14. Iniquity is One of the Perks

After a rather boring day sitting through classes he didn’t pay attention to, Cas was outside with Sam as they waited for Dean to pick them up. There was an awkwardness between them as they tried to distract themselves by puttering about on their phones. Eventually, after running out of apps to cycle through, Sam spoke up. 

“I heard about what happened,” Sam started. Castiel looked up from his phone and gave a tight smile. He didn’t want to be mean to Sam, but he really didn’t want to relive it again. 

“Yeah?” Cas replied, if nothing else to indicate that he had heard what Sam said. 

“Yeah. I’m...sorry that you had to go through that,” he said, “I don’t mean to prod or anything, but is it always like that at your house? With your parents?” Sam prodded. 

“I mean...I guess? At least with Naomi. She’s a nightmare,” Castiel said. He blinked and realized what he’d just said. Since when did he freely discuss his relationship with Naomi? He had _thought_ he was just going to wait for Dean in silence. How did Sam do that?

“Well...I’ve been kind of interested in the law...and I was reading about emancipation. You only have to be 16 to apply, and you can-”

“Sam,” Castiel interrupted, raising a hand to stop the younger boy, “I appreciate your concern, I really do...but I don’t think emancipation is the move for me. I mean...even if I wanted to do that, I don’t even have a job. How could I live by myself?”

“You can apply for a federal grant if you’re living with a family member,” Sam supplied. Castiel raised his eyebrows. “What? I like research,” Sam explained. Castiel put a hand on his shoulder. 

“Thank you for your concern...but I’m sure my situation isn’t that bad. I don’t need to be emancipated,” Cas said with a chuckle. Sam smiled and looked down. 

“You’re probably right. Just...let me know if you need any help with anything. I know we really haven’t gotten to hang out or anything, but...I see how happy you make Dean, and that’s gotta count for something,” Sam said. Castiel smiled, feeling oddly proud at the praise of his boyfriend’s little brother. The boys heard the familiar rumble of Dean’s car, and hopped in when he pulled up. 

“Sorry I’m late,” he apologized. “I got you this,” Dean said, handing Cas his present.

“Skittles?” Cas asked, a smile lighting up his face. He opened them up immediately, picking out one of his favorite (green apple; he was so happy when they made the switch from lime) and popping it into his mouth. Dean smiled at his boyfriend. Sam made fake vomiting sounds from his seat in the back. The older brother threw his car into drive sped away, flipping Sam off as they pulled out of the parking lot. 

“Where’s _my_ candy?” Sam complained. 

“Up your butt,” Dean replied.

“Very mature,” Sam said sarcastically. “Honestly, Cas, what do you see in him?”

Castiel just looked over at his boyfriend and smiled. He reached out and ran the back of his hand down Dean’s cheek. Dean smiled and leaned into the touch. 

“What’s not to see in him?” Cas replied. Dean chose that moment to let out a deep belch. 

“Gross!” Sam yelled. Castiel slapped Dean on the shoulder.

“Seriously, babe?” Cas asked, throwing a glance back at the younger Winchester, “you know what, Sam, I might side with you on this one.”

“Hey!” Dean said indignantly. 

“You’re the one that burped right after I was trying to defend you!” 

“Pshh, whatever,” Dean brushed off, “I’m still the one you come home to,” Dean flashed his boyfriend a cheesy smile. 

“I don’t know…” Cas said in a high-pitched voice. Dean scoffed. 

“I’m literally driving you home right now!” Castiel just laughed. He kept snacking on his candy as they made the rest of the drive to the Winchester’s house. 

⚣

On Tuesday night, Dean had snuck down to his room to spend the night with Cas. It was a much needed night for both of them. Castiel was still a little shaken from his fight with both Naomi and his father. He’d never lashed out at his dad like that before, and he was feeling guilty about how he left things with him. Sure, Castiel didn’t really care how Naomi felt about any of this, but he hated that he couldn’t let his father know where he was staying. Castiel felt like Naomi was taking his family away from him. First, it was Michael, and now, slowly, she’s taking his dad away from him, too. 

So, on Tuesday night, after their...activities, if Castiel cuddled up a little closer to Dean...well that was his secret to keep. 

On Wednesday, however, he realized he hadn’t packed enough pants when he rushed out of his house. 

“What do you mean you’re going back?” Dean asked as they went downstairs to drop off their backpacks. 

“I only packed two pairs of pants, Dean,” Castiel reasoned. 

“So? You can borrow some of mine,” he offered. 

“Thank you, but I just want to wear my own clothes,” Castiel said. Dean looked worried. With a sigh, Cas walked up and took his boyfriend’s hands. 

“Nobody is even going to be home. I’m just going to go there, grab a few more things, and head right back. It’s not a big deal,” Cas soothed. Dean still didn’t look satisfied. 

“Can I at least go with you?” he asked. Castiel frowned and squeezed Dean’s hands. 

“No, baby,” he said, “it won’t take that long. Stay here and get that calc homework done. I’ll be back in two shakes,” Castiel said, stepping forward and kissing Dean before grabbing his keys and heading out. Dean was still pouting when he left, but Castiel thought it was better to be safe than sorry. He couldn’t afford Naomi taking Dean away from him, too. 

When Castiel reached his house, he hopped out of his car and jogged up to the front door. He wanted to be in and out, so he went straight up to his room to grab more clothes. He was debating whether or not he should pack any more socks, not knowing how long he’d be gone, when he heard a voice from his door. 

“Castiel?” he whipped around quickly. 

“Dad? What are you doing home?” Cas asked, startled to see anyone else in the house. 

“I could ask you the same question,” Bartholomew replied, a small smile on his face. 

“Is Naomi here, too?” Castiel asked, looking behind his father nervously. 

“No, she’s staying late at the office tonight. Why don’t we grab dinner?” he suggested. Castiel bit the inside of his lip nervously. He wanted to spend time with his father, he really did, but he knew that if he went out with his dad, Bartholomew would talk him into coming back. And as much as Castiel wanted to do that, he couldn’t give Naomi the satisfaction. 

“I really can’t. I have to get back to...where I’m staying,” he said, stopping himself before he said Dean’s name. 

“And could you tell me where that is?” his father asked hopefully. Castiel just shook his head.

“I’m sorry, dad, but I really can’t,” he replied. His father looked disappointed, but nodded his head in understanding. “I’m safe,” Cas supplied, hoping that helped even a little bit. Bartholomew forced out a tight smile. 

“How long will you be gone?” 

“Ask Naomi,” Castiel said bitterly. It’s not like he wanted to leave his house and impose on the Winchesters, but he really couldn’t be around his step-mother. Not after what’d she’d said...what she’d done. 

“Just come back home, Castiel. I can talk to Naomi,” his dad offered. Castiel shook his head once again, this time with much more force.

“Dad, she disrespected me, she disrespected mom, she _slapped_ me...I don’t want to be around her,” Castiel said. They both stood there in silence for a few moments, Castiel unsure if he could leave yet. Finally, Bartholomew spoke up. 

“She’s leaving for a week-long business trip on Friday. Could you come home then? At least for the week? Then maybe you two can sort it out when she gets back, if you decide to stay that long.”

Castiel didn’t know what to do. His dad looked so...small in that moment. Castiel could see that his father hated being caught in between the two of them. He took a few steps towards his dad and hugged him. As much as Castiel wanted to be mad at him...hell, as much as he _was_ mad at him, Bartholomew could still use the physical reassurance. And if Castiel was being honest with himself, he could use it, too.

“Yeah, dad. I can come back this weekend,” he said, offering at least that small solace. “I’ve gotta go,” he said, pulling back and awkwardly shuffling past his dad to exit his room. He walked to his car feeling a little numb. 

When he arrived back at Dean’s house, he found his boyfriend on his bed, watching Netflix on his laptop. He was lying on his side with his head pillowed by his folded arm. 

“Hey,” Cas greeted, setting his bag down by the closet. 

“Hey,” Dean replied, not looking up from his screen. Castiel made his way over to the bed and laid down, Dean’s laptop resting between them. He reached out and ran his hand through Dean’s hair. They laid there silently, watching the show. After the episode ended, Dean sighed. 

“I’m sorry about earlier. I didn’t mean to be pouty, I was just worried about you going back there so soon,” he explained. 

“It’s ok, I get where you’re coming from,” Castiel said. There was another long stretch of silence between the two as the next episode played automatically. 

“I’m going back on Saturday,” Cas said. Dean looked at him with a rather sad expression. 

“Ok. If you’re comfortable with that,” he said, shocking Castiel. Instead of questioning Dean, he decided to just take the win. After another episode, Mary called everyone up for dinner. Dean shut his laptop and rolled off the bed. Cas stayed where he was, watching Dean as he made his way around the bed to go upstairs. 

“You coming?” Dean asked. Castiel stood up and put his arms around Dean’s neck. He rested their foreheads together. After a moment, Cas leaned in and gently kissed Dean. At first, he didn’t kiss back, which worried Castiel. But, after a couple seconds, Dean wrapped his arms around Cas' waist and kissed back. They lost their balance when Cas leaned into him a bit too heavily, Dean not positioned to take Cas' weight. The taller boy stumbled backwards, falling right onto his back and dragging Castiel with him. After the shock faded, the pair shared a look and started laughing. At first, it was a few small chuckles, but it turned into full belly laughs in just a few seconds. 

“Is that your way of telling me I’m fat?” Cas joked.

“You surprised me! I wasn’t prepared to get leaned on with your full bodyweight, I was prepared to head to supper!” Dean replied, wiping a tear from his eye. They just sat there on the floor for a moment, smiling at each other like a couple of goons. Once Dean’s stomach rumbled, the blond stood and held out a hand so he could help Castiel up. They shared one more kiss before heading upstairs to eat. 


	15. Shiver Shiver

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was listening to Shiver Shiver by Walk the Moon when I wrote this, so if you wanna know the head space I was in, give it a listen!

True to his word, Castiel had gone home that weekend. With Naomi being gone the following week, everyone had had the chance to calm down and put some distance between themselves and that night. There weren’t any formal apologies, but things returned to normal in the Novak household. They all silently agreed to not bring it up. 

It was about a month into school and besides the fight with Naomi before the first day, Castiel’s senior year wasn’t going half bad. He did, of course, regret taking gym last period, but there was nothing he could do about that now. Often times, Dean would go pick up some food or snacks and bring them back to school to give to Cas after the final bell rang. That made Cas' days a little better. Other times, Dean would send snapchats of himself ‘taking a nap’ or tease Cas through text about how great early outs were. That made Cas' days a little...less better. He would usually respond with a snap of himself half dressed in the locker room with the caption ‘You wish you had gym class with me’ or a text with just the middle finger emoji repeated about ten times. 

Today had been a particularly warm day, and Castiel had been craving something cold and sweet since lunch. He pulled out his phone and texted his boyfriend. 

_< << You busy? - Cas_

Castiel only had to wait a couple minutes to get a reply.

_> >> Not particularly. What did you have in mind? - Dean_

_< << I’ve been craving Sonic all day. Wanna stop there and then head to your house? Maybe get some homework out of the way? - Cas_

_> >> Sounds good to me. Do you want me to pick you up now? - Dean_

_< << How about I drive? That way I can drive myself home instead of making you drive me. - Cas_

_> >> Alright. See you in a few - Dean_

Castiel smiled and headed over to Dean’s house. 

When they arrived at Sonic, Cas pulled into a stall and rolled down the window. 

“Do you know what you want?” Cas asked, looking over at Dean. Dean was squinting at the menu, trying to choose between a slushie and a shake. 

“I’ll take a chocolate shake,” Dean said, choosing to go with his go-to choice. Cas nodded and looked over the menu one more time. 

“I think I’m gonna go with the blue raspberry slushie with nerds,” he said. Dean made a face. 

“What?” Cas asked in regards to Dean’s reaction. 

“You’re gonna rot your teeth out,” he said. Cas just rolled his eyes fondly and pressed the red button to place their orders. Not too long after, the carhop was coming towards them. 

After half an hour of drink sharing (Cas laughed when Dean took a sip and scrunched up his face at the sweetness. “Cavities, Cas. That’s all this is good for”) and easy conversation, they decided to go back to Dean’s house. 

Mary’s voice rang out from the kitchen when the boys stepped through the front door.

“Dean?” she called out.

“Yeah, mom,” Dean replied.

“Did you pick up your-”

“Yep, we’re gonna go downstairs now,” he interrupted, grabbing Cas' hand and leading them towards his room. Cas raised an eyebrow but decided not to pry. The boys set their backpacks down and Dean flopped onto his bed. Castiel just shook his head and went towards the futon under the window. 

“Did you understand _anything_ in calc today?” Dean asked, voice muffled by his comforter.

Castiel just laughed. “Only slightly. Thank god it’s Friday,” he replied, getting up and walking towards his backpack. He picked it up and slung it over his shoulder. Debating whether he should, then ultimately deciding he _definitely_ should, Cas smacked his boyfriend’s ass and walked out of the bedroom. Dean let out an involuntary yelp (“it was not a yelp, Cas...it was a short outburst of surprise” “whatever helps you sleep at night”) and turned to see Cas leaving. He followed his boyfriend into the den.

“Hey, woah, where ya going?” Dean asked. 

“I thought we were going to do homework. And I think it’s much easier on the high table you have in here,” Cas said. Dean silently agreed and sat down next to Cas.

One whole excruciatingly painful hour later, they were both _finally_ done with their calculus homework.

“Tell me why we signed up for this class,” Dean said as he laid his head down on his closed textbook in defeat. 

“So we don’t have to take math in college,” Cas replied, swiftly gathering his things and returning them to his backpack.

“What do you want to go into for college anyway?” Dean asked, lifting his head off of his book so he could return it to his backpack.

“Not insurance, that’s for sure,” Castiel joked. Dean just gave him a confused look.

“That’s...oddly specific. Why not?” Dean asked. The boys moved back into Dean’s room and they both flopped down on the bed.

“My dad owns an insurance company. Naomi does something in that realm as well...I’m not exactly sure what. And my brother is employed under Naomi,” Cas explained. Dean’s eyebrows raised on their own accord. 

“Wow,” he commented. 

“Yeah, that’s why they’re gone all the time...not really lookin’ to get into that,” Castiel said with a laugh.

“Are they gone right now?” Dean asked. Cas narrowed his eyes at his boyfriend.

“Yeah…” he said slowly, “why?” he followed up. Dean just smiled and wiggled his eyebrows.

“No, absolutely not,” Castiel proclaimed, “are you nuts?” 

“Oh, come on, we’ve been dating how long and I’ve still never gone inside your house! You’ve crawled in through my bedroom window and seduced me in my _own home_ , and I don’t even get to see your entryway? That’s just not fair,” Dean persuaded. 

“Life isn’t fair,” Cas countered. Dean just scoffed and rolled his eyes. 

“Oh come on, I just want a quick tour,” Dean prompted, “especially of the bedroom,” he teased.

“Why can’t we just do that here, like we always do?” Cas deflected, trying to change the subject by reaching out and stroking Dean’s arm. Dean looked at Cas' hand, then up to Cas' eyes. 

“Really?” Dean asked flatly, “And my mom’s home for the whole night. Pleeeaaaasse,” Dean begged, deciding to switch tactics. 

“Dean-”

“Please, please, please, please, please,” Dean interrupted. Castiel sighed deeply. 

“If I show you my house will you stop being annoying?” Castiel asked. Dean beamed at him and nodded his head fervently. Castiel sighed once more and pushed himself off of the bed. Dean stood up as well and immediately crowded Cas against the wall, grabbing the left side of his face and kissing him deeply. When he pulled away, Castiel was breathless.

“What was that for?” Cas asked.

“I-” Dean cut himself off rather abruptly, “am just excited to see your house,” he said. He gave a quick peck to Cas' lips before exiting his room and bounding up the stairs. 

“Where are you boys headed?” Mary asked as she watched them put on their shoes. 

“Dean actually did his calc homework, so I decided he deserved a burger,” Castiel lied. One benefit of having Naomi around was that he was pretty good at thinking on his feet. 

“You got him to do _math_? I’m impressed,” she joked, “don’t stay out too late.”

“We won’t,” Dean replied before opening the door and heading to the car. 

A short five minute drive later, and they were pulling up to the park behind Cas' house.

“I still don’t know why I have to stash my car all the way back here,” Dean lamented, putting his car in park and opening his door. 

“I’m not taking any chances,” Castiel replied, heading towards his house. 

They walked to the front door (Dean insisted the tour should start there, not the back door), and Castiel pulled his keys out of his pocket. He quickly unlocked the door and swung it open to reveal the inside of his house. Dean’s eyes went wide and a smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. Cas thought he was watching a kid on christmas day. 

Castiel showed him first around the whole main floor, then the basement, and finally the tour came to a close upstairs. Dean was too excited about Cas' bedroom to care about the rest of the upstairs. Castiel just laughed and followed his (overly) excited boyfriend into his own bedroom. 

“This place is huge!” Dean commented in wonder. Castiel just sort of shrugged back.

“Are you kidding me? You get this whole space to yourself? Why the hell are we always cooped up in my room? This place is as big as my entire house,” Dean went on.

“No, it is not,” Castiel asserted. Maybe Dean’s dining room/kitchen/living room, but certainly not the whole house. Dean rolled his eyes.

“I’m exaggerating,” Dean said. 

“And I don’t think your bedroom is ‘cooped up’. I like it. A lot, actually. It’s a lot more...homey,” Castiel explained, “this feels like too much space most of the time.” 

“Too _much_ space?” Dean asked, getting closer and closer to Castiel.

“Yeah,” Castiel replied, a smile creeping on his lips. 

“Do you need someone to...share the space with you?” Dean asked, basically whispering it into Cas' ear. Cas shivered and nodded. Dean went and closed the door. Castiel smirked and inched a little closer to his bed. This was a really, _really_ bad idea. But he just couldn’t say no to Dean. 

Dean turned to look at Cas and started stalking towards him, looking up through hooded eyes. Castiel bit his lip and backed away, closer and closer to the bed. Dean reached out and grabbed Castiel’s cheek before kissing him deeply. They stood there, barely coming up for air, for many long minutes. Neither one of them ever wanted this to end. 

Dean tugged at Cas' shirt and eventually pulled it over his head and discarded it on the floor. He then gently guided Cas to the bed. When Castiel felt it on the back of his knees, he sat down. Dean took that opportunity to remove his own shirt. He threw it down in the same manner as he did with Cas' shirt. He stepped between Castiel’s open legs and looked down at his boyfriend. 

Holy shit, he was gorgeous.

“Holy shit, you’re gorgeous,” Dean said. Castiel smiled and blushed slightly. The dark haired boy pulled his boyfriend down by the back of the neck and kissed him. 

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this,” Castiel commented. 

“Oh, I bet I could talk you into a few more things,” Dean responded cheekily. Castiel cracked a smile and moved farther up the bed. 

“You so sure about that?” Cas challenged. Dean crawled up Castiel’s body and answered his challenge with a searing kiss. Dean started moving to other parts of Cas' body, making sure to pay special attention to Cas' nipples before descending down, down, down Castiel’s body. 

Castiel moaned as Dean got _so close_ to where Castiel really wanted that mouth. 

“Pants,” Castiel panted, “pants off,” he explained further. Dean grinned and started unbuckling Cas' belt, pulling it ever so slowly out of the loops in Cas' jeans. Next, he started on the button, and finally, _finally_ , the zipper. Castiel shivered slightly as the cool air hit his heated skin. Dean laughed as Cas' jeans got caught on his shoes. He slipped off the bed and removed Cas' shoes before unlacing his own. After that task was completed, he went back to taking off his boyfriend’s jeans. The boxers quickly followed, as Dean was becoming increasingly impatient. His eyes were fixed on the boy lying on the bed. The sight was absolutely breathtaking. 

“One second,” Dean said, reaching into his own pants (still tightly secured to his body...a little too tightly) and pulling out his phone. 

“What are you doing?” Castiel asked, slightly annoyed that Dean wasn’t kissing him anymore. 

“Hold still,” Dean instructed, snapping a photo of his boyfriend. It was perfect. The sun was setting in the window behind them, making Castiel’s body more of a silhouette.

“Perfect,” Dean said, locking his phone and tossing it to the side before discarding his own (now _much_ too tight) jeans. 

“You’re deleting that,” Castiel declared. 

“Not a chance,” Dean countered before climbing back on the bed and kissing Castiel before he could argue any further. Dean slotted their hips together, pushing forward and pulling back slowly. 

“Fuuuuuck,” Castiel breathed. He dragged his fingernails down Dean’s back. He never, ever wanted this to end. They stayed like that for a while, Castiel canting his hips and Dean leaving hickeys on Cas' chest. 

Finally, Dean had enough and pulled back. 

“Do you have anything?” he asked, nearly breathless. 

“Shit. No. I never thought this would happen here, so I’m not really...prepared,” Castiel justified. 

“That’s fine. I can think of another way to...satisfy you,” he said, retreating slightly and kissing the inside of Castiel’s thigh. He didn’t spend a lot of time there before setting his sights on the real prize. He started with the tip. Just barely pushing it passed his lips before pulling it out and doing it over and over and over until Castiel was begging him to take more. 

Dean kissed the skin below Castiel’s belly button before going right back, taking in a few more inches of Cas' cock. He could feel his boyfriend’s abdomen tense as he started a rhythm. What he didn’t fit into his mouth, he stroked with one hand. 

“Mmmmm, Dean,” Castiel whined, and holy shit, Dean could listen to that all day long. It wasn’t long before Castiel’s breath became labored and Dean knew his boyfriend was getting close. He picked up his pace and encouraged Castiel by humming around his cock, sending vibrations up Castiel’s spine. With a whimper and the nails on his right hand digging into Dean’s shoulder, Castiel came, shaking through his orgasm. Dean pulled off and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. 

Castiel smiled lazily up at him. He looked perfect. Sweat accumulating on his skin, almost shimmering in the light of the setting sun. Castiel could die a happy man. Dean leaned down and kissed Castiel for several long moments. When the feeling returned to Castiel’s fingers and toes, he pushed Dean’s shoulder, rolling him onto his back. 

“My turn,” he stated, starting by stroking Dean a few times with his hand. 

Apparently, Dean was a lot closer than Castiel anticipated, because after only four or five strokes, Dean’s eyes screwed shut and he came over his own chest and Castiel’s hand.

“Sorry,” Dean whispered. Castiel just laughed, causing Dean to blush profusely. He tried to turn away, but Castiel wouldn’t let him. He kissed the blond deeply, framing his freckled face with his hands. 

“I love you,” Castiel whispered, keeping his eyes closed, almost afraid to see Dean’s reaction. If he would’ve opened his eyes, he would’ve seen Dean’s face break out into the biggest grin. Dean kissed him through the smile, running his hand through Castiel’s hair. 

“I love you, too,” he replied. At that, Castiel finally opened his eyes, a grin creeping onto his face to match Dean’s. He was so happy he could cry. 

“Babe, are you...crying?” Dean asked, inspecting Castiel’s face.

“Yeah,” he said before laughing at himself, “I’m sorry. I’m just...really happy,” he said. 

“So happy that you’re...crying?” Dean asked, relieved that they weren’t tears of sadness. Castiel covered most of his face with his hands.

“I don’t know,” Cas defended, “I just...I never really thought I’d have something like this,” he confided. Dean grabbed hold of Cas' wrists and pulled them off his face. 

“Well, you got me,” Dean said. Castiel beamed and kissed him. 

“I love you,” he said again, still in disbelief that he was actually saying these words to his boyfriend. 

“I love you, too,” Dean responded again, gathering Castiel in his arms and holding him close. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this chapter...(they said, ominously)


	16. (I Can't Get No) Resolution

A couple weeks later, Naomi walked in from the garage to find her kitchen an absolute mess. She had told Castiel to clean it before she left, but obviously he had ignored her. Just then, he rounded the corner from the living room to the kitchen. 

“Castiel, I’m tired of seeing this kitchen in total chaos!” Naomi complained for the umpteeth time. 

“How is that _my_ problem?” Cas shot back, “I hardly ever even use the kitchen.” Naomi should’ve known he was going to act this way. They had been arguing a lot more frequently the past few days. She was getting at her wit’s end. 

“You know your father and I can’t do all of the housework on our own. Not while working full time,” she said. 

“Oh, so then it’s suddenly my job to clean up after you?” Cas retorted. Naomi sighed deeply.

“Since you have the time,” she explained, “and you are an occupant of this house, you should be responsible for your fair share of chores.”

“So you’re saying I should earn my keep?” Castiel paraphrased. Naomi blinked a few times. Was her step-son finally seeing things her way? Maybe this whole parenting thing wasn’t that hard after all.

“Yes,” she replied simply. Castiel’s eyes grew wide and he scoffed. Naomi was confused. She thought they had finally landed on the same page. Why was he in such a huff all of the sudden?

“I can’t believe this,” Castiel threw up his hands and let them fall noisily at his sides, “you’re saying that I have to act as your _personal housekeeper_ just so I don’t feel guilty about-”

“Castiel I am not guilting you into-”

“Yes you are! You’re standing here trying to-”

“You will not interrupt me while I am speaking!” Naomi chastised.

“You interrupted me too!” Castiel argued. Naomi raised her hand, signaling that she would not be hearing anything else on the matter.

“I will not be hearing anything else on the matter,” Naomi said, “clean the kitchen. I’m late for my meeting,” she turned on her heel and walked out to the garage. Castiel clenched his jaw and looked around the room. 

“Fuck that,” he said, exiting the kitchen and returning to his room. 

Naomi returned a few hours later to the kitchen in the same state as she left it. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply through her nose. She bit her tongue and put her purse down before stomping up the stairs. 

“Castiel _James_ , I made it very clear about that kitchen!” She yelled, reaching the top of the stairs and walking down the hall. She bursted into Cas' room, finding the teenager calmly puttering around on his phone. 

“Knock much?” Castiel said upon seeing her. 

“What did I say about the kitchen?” she started. Castiel rolled his eyes and put his phone in his pocket. 

“This again?”

“Yes! I made myself very clear about my expectations for you today,” she said. 

“And I made myself very clear that I wasn’t-”

“You. Don’t. Make. The rules,” Naomi interrupted, articulating every word as clear as the coat on her nails. Castiel paused at the ferocity in her voice. Before he could think of a witty comeback, she spoke again. 

“If you’re going to act like a petulant child, I will treat you like one,” she said calmly, after having composed herself. Castiel rolled his eyes once again. 

“Grounded. Zero privileges,” she stated.

“Privileges?” Castiel asked incredulously. 

“Privileges,” she restated, “such as phone, laptop, car, permission to leave the house except for school-”

“Permission to leave the house? So I’m a what? A _prisoner_?” 

“A child,” she corrected, “children are not allowed to leave the house without permission, and until you can show me you aren’t a child, you will be treated like one. You will be ungrounded when my kitchen is clean,” she explained. 

“This is ridiculous!” Castiel argued.

“Almost as ridiculous as you having all day to clean the kitchen, yet I come home and it’s exactly how I left it,” Naomi retorted, “Phone, laptop, keys,” she demanded, holding out her hand. Castiel just stared at her, his jaw aching from how much anger he was holding back. He dug his phone out of his pocket and threw it on his dresser where his keys and laptop were already sitting before getting up and storming out of his room. Naomi took a deep breath and collected the ‘privileges’. If she had known parenting was going to be this hard, she would’ve crossed Bartholomew off her list at the first mention of children. 

⚣

“Cas isn’t answering,” Dean said, brow furrowed. He tossed his phone on his bed, nearly hitting Charlie before sitting with a huff on his futon. 

“What else would he be doing on a Thursday night?” she asked. 

“I don’t know. We were texting twenty minutes ago...then he just stopped,” Dean said. Charlie thought for a few moments. 

“Maybe something happened with Naomi?” She suggested. Dean nodded his head. It was very likely.

“They’ve been at each other’s throats a lot more lately,” Dean reasoned. 

“Do you have any idea why?” Charlie asked.

“No,” Dean said dismally, “and Cas is-” Dean stopped himself, not sure if he wanted to get into this with Charlie. 

“Cas is…” she said in a leading tone, wanting him to finish his thought. 

“Nothing. Just...forget about it,” Dean said dismissively. Charlie wasn’t taking that for an answer. She conveyed that to him through her signature _look_. Dean sighed in resignation. 

“I don’t know. He’s just been a little more...on edge this week,” he said. 

“How so?” Charlie prodded further. Dean seemed to really think about it. 

“It’s just...his texts seem a bit more clipped. And, uh...when we, uh...kiss...it’s not the same,” Dean struggled to explain, bringing his hand up to scratch at the back of his neck. He was embarrassed about the situation. Charlie frowned, hating to see her friends at odds. 

“And it really worries me,” Dean went on, “because a couple Fridays ago...two to be exact, I convinced him...coerced, really to have him show me his house while his parents were away,” Dean started. 

“You what?!?” Charlie exclaimed. How was this the first she was hearing about this? Dean got to see the inside of Cas' house and she didn’t? Cas had moved in _months_ ago and _nobody_ had gone inside. She put her slight bout of jealousy aside to listen to her friend as he continued. 

“Yeah, and it was fine...we uh, we ended up in his bedroom, and after,” Dean stopped himself, deciding Charlie didn’t need to know _that_ many details, “well, we said ‘I love you’.” Charlie squealed.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” she asked, reaching behind her and throwing a pillow at Dean. She was almost offended it took so long for her to find out. 

“I don’t know...it didn’t really come up,” Dean said, “but I’m afraid it might’ve scared him or something? He said that he thought he’d never have something like this...like our relationship.”

“Awww that’s so sweet!” Charlie exclaimed. Dean still looked discouraged. Charlie got up and went to sit next to him on the futon. She rested her head on his shoulder.

“I’m sure it’s not about that,” she tried to comfort him. “Do you want to go grab some food?” she suggested, trying to get his mind off of things. 

“I’m not hungry,” he said quietly, getting up to check his phone that was still sitting on the bed. 

No new messages. 

⚣

It took Castiel the rest of the day to calm down. He knew he was acting a bit more childish than normal, but it was ridiculous of Naomi to expect him to clean up messes he didn’t even make. Wasn’t it? He had spent the rest of Thursday night in the basement, just avoiding Naomi. He took out some of his anger on the punching bag they had in one of the back rooms. After exhausting himself with that, he decided to lay down on the couch. It wasn’t long before he was interrupted. 

He heard footsteps descending the staircase. He steeled himself for another round with Naomi, but was surprised to see his father as he rounded the corner. 

“Thought I might be able to find you down here,” Bartholomew said. Castiel chewed on his tongue. Did Naomi send him down here to scold him as well? “I heard you and Naomi got into another bit of a scuffle,” he said as gently as possible. Castiel swung his legs off the couch and sat up straight. 

“Yeah,” he answered shortly. His father sighed.

“Do you want to tell me why?” he prodded. 

“Because she demanded I clean up a mess I didn’t even make,” Castiel said indignantly. Bartholomew nodded at Castiel’s answer. 

“I meant why have you two been fighting so much lately?” Bartholomew clarified. Castiel folded his arms over his chest. 

“I don’t know,” he deflected. 

“I think you do,” Bartholomew said. 

“Castiel! Bedtime!” Naomi shouted down the stairs. Castiel looked at the clock and his jaw dropped. 

“It’s 9 p.m.” he said to his father, trying to prove through his tone how unfair he thought Naomi was being. 

“Yeah, Naomi told me about the whole ‘privileges’ thing,” he said. 

“So you know how ridiculous it is!” 

“Castiel,” Bartholomew started in a slightly condescending tone. The teen didn’t let him get any further. 

“No! You can’t possibly be taking her side on this.” 

“I’m not taking any sides,” he modulated, “you know what? I think you could use a good night’s sleep anyway. You _both_ could,” he said pointedly, making it clear he really _wasn’t_ taking any sides. Castiel just sighed.

“Whatever,” he said, nearly inaudible, standing up to walk back to his room since it was past his _bedtime_. 

Bartholomew shook his head. It seemed as if he could never catch a break with those two. 

⚣

Dean and his little brother left for school the next day a little earlier than normal, causing a raised eyebrow from Sam. 

“I thought you hated spending any more time than strictly necessary here,” the little brother said as they got out of the car. 

“Shut up, bitch,” Dean dismissed, throwing Sam a reassuring smile. Sam saw right through his older brother but decided not to press the issue. 

“Jerk,” Sam responded, thinking that nothing could be seriously wrong if Dean still used their call and response. 

“Don’t forget that you’re taking Alfie and me home today,” Sam reminded his older brother. After Dean mumbled some form of acknowledgment, Sam decided to go look for Alfie in the library.

Dean decided to go wait at Cas' locker. He still hadn’t received any texts and he was starting to get worried. Usually if something happened between Cas and Naomi, his boyfriend would send him a quick heads up that he wouldn’t have access to his phone. 

He rounded the corner and was surprised to find his boyfriend already standing at his locker. 

“Cas,” he called out in greeting. The dark haired boy looked over, surprise evident on his face. 

“Dean. You’re here early,” he noted. Dean leaned in for a hug and Cas clumsily returned it, still recovering from the fact that his boyfriend was at school a whole twenty minutes before class even started. “I’m sorry, but I have to go finish some homework before first period,” Castiel said, turning around and walking down the hallway.

Naomi hadn’t been joking about the privileges. She wouldn’t even give him his laptop to finish his homework, so he was forced to have his father drop him off at school early (“Children don’t drive cars, Castiel”) just to use a computer. 

Dean was left standing alone in the hallway, confused about what had just happened. He met up with Charlie in an empty classroom.

“And then I hugged him, but he didn’t really hug back. Then he made up an excuse about finishing homework. He didn’t even invite me to go with him or anything, he just...left,” Dean recounted. Charlie chewed her lip, trying to think of any possible _positive_ explanations for Cas' actions. She was coming up empty. She could tell Dean was really starting to worry.

“I could try talking to him,” she suggested. Dean just shook his head.

“No, it’s fine. I have American Government with him first hour, I’ll check in with him then,” Dean said. The pair spent the rest of time before class catching up with each other about how classes were going. They weren’t in a single one together. Before they knew it, the bell rang and they went their separate ways. 

Dean took his usual seat on the right side of the classroom and waited for his boyfriend to show up. Dean laughed a little bit when he realized this is probably what Cas did every morning. The smile left his face when Cas sat in his usual seat in front of Dean without saying a word. 

“Did you get that homework done?” Dean asked, trying anything to just start some dialogue. Castiel didn’t seem to hear him, or maybe he was ignoring him. When Dean realized Castiel wasn’t going to reply, he tried a different conversation starter. He tapped Cas on the shoulder to ensure he got his attention. 

“So, uh, you didn’t text me all weekend,” Dean started, hoping Castiel would pick up with an explanation. His hopes were dashed when the teacher stood at the front of the class and started her lecture. She was very strict about side conversations during her class, so Dean dropped it for the time being. 

He was surprised when a folded piece of scrap paper landed on his desk. He discreetly unfolded it and read the message on the inside. 

_‘Naomi’_

He took a deep breath. There were mixed emotions about this note. He was relieved, of course, that Cas had a reason for not replying to Dean’s text messages. At the same time, though, he recalled their meeting at Cas' locker and Dean couldn’t see why Cas couldn’t have just told him then. 

Dean decided to put those thoughts on the back burner and focus on taking notes. He needed to pass this class to graduate, and he had the feeling he and Cas weren’t going to study after school. 

⚣

Castiel was writing the final answer to his homework when the bell rang, signalling the students to go to their first period class. He swore under his breath and finished as quickly as he could. He hit print and waited for the printer to wake from its slumber and follow his command. Every second felt like ten as Castiel waited for his pages to print. When they were finally done, he stuck them in his folder, threw his backpack over his shoulder, and bolted out of the computer lab. 

How could Naomi take his laptop and refuse to give it back when Castiel needed it to do homework? Shouldn’t schoolwork come before some stupid punishment? Castiel’s father might’ve been right when he said they just needed a good night’s sleep, but Castiel had stayed awake far longer than he usually did on a school night, still irritated about _everything_ Naomi did. He hated the way she paraded around, thinking she had total control over him. He couldn’t get his mind to shut up. 

He had worked himself into a state by the time he reached his classroom. He couldn’t hear anything over his own thoughts. He turned towards Dean when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He was about to answer when the teacher started talking. He had been chastised one too many times to risk getting caught having a side conversation again. He turned around and wrote a quick note, hoping it explained things for Dean. 

Normally, he would’ve just texted Dean, but Naomi was still in possession of his phone. And thinking about her just brought Cas right back to last night. 

He spent the rest of class pseudo listening, focusing rather on his own thoughts. 

Castiel was just tired of Naomi. He was tired of the way she always had to be on top; he was tired of how everything in her precious house had to be spotless. Was she aware that Castiel had his own life? He wasn’t just there to do everything she wanted him to do. She didn’t control him...as much as she’d like to. 

When the bell rang, Castiel stood up and swung his backpack over his shoulder before heading towards his next class. He felt someone grab his arm and he pulled away harshly. Why was everyone trying to control his actions lately? He looked at the person who grabbed his arm. Dean’s face, filled with confusion and a bit of hurt, was staring back at him.

“What?” Castiel asked curtly. He had other classes to go to. There was a voice in his head telling him that he wasn’t being fair to Dean, but he ignored it. He raised his eyebrows, signalling Dean to ask his question that was so important. 

“Why are you acting like this?” Dean asked quietly as the last student shuffled out the door. 

“Like what?” Castiel got very defensive. First Naomi, then his father, now Dean? Couldn’t anyone just leave him alone? 

“I don’t know...flighty, I guess,” Dean supplied. 

“ _Flighty?_ I am not acting flighty,” Castiel asserted. Dean was caught off guard. This was not playing out the way he’d rehearsed it in his head.

“Cas,” Dean said in a gentle tone, trying to keep things calm, “I know I can’t control-”

“You’re right,” Cas interrupted, brushing past Dean and heading down the hallway to his next class. His boyfriend stood there, confused at the situation that had just played out before him. Dean clenched his jaw and went to his own second period class. Instead of making things better, that ‘talk’ had made things much, much worse. Now, Dean was angry, too. 

The tension at the lunch table later that day was palpable. Charlie sat there as the couple focused all of their attention on the food in front of them. She tried to break the ice a few times to no avail. After an agonizing fifteen minutes, Castiel excused himself and left the cafeteria. 

“What the hell was that about?” Charlie asked when Cas was out of earshot. Dean just stabbed at his macaroni and cheese, not even bothering to pretend like he was going to eat it. “I thought you said you were going to talk to him first hour.”

“I did,” Dean said, “or at least...I tried.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means that I asked him what the _fuck_ was wrong with him, and he just got super defensive and left,” Dean said, punctuating his expletive with an especially harsh stab into his side dish. “It was barely even a talk. I saw that he was getting defensive, so I backed off and tried to tell him that I couldn’t control what went on between Naomi and him, but that I was there for him, but he just interrupted me and stormed out,” Dean disclosed. 

“I’m tired of his attitude,” Dean stated, setting his fork aside and standing up to dump his tray. 

The rest of the day went on and the couple didn’t say another word to each other. Calculus was uncomfortable to say the least. Dean was relieved when the bell rang and he was finished with classes for the day. He had just closed his locker when he remembered he was giving Sam and Alfie a ride home from school. He decided to go for a drive to clear his head while he waited. 

About an hour later, Sam and Alfie climbed into the car after their classes ended; they knew instantly that Dean wasn’t happy. 

“What’s up?” Sam asked. 

“Nothing,” Dean replied curtly, moving with the traffic to the exit of the parking lot.

“Bullshit,” Sam countered. Dean gave Sam the side eye. 

“Is it because of Castiel?” Alfie asked from the backseat. Dean slammed on the brakes, causing the passengers to be jerked forward in their seats, not expecting the sudden stop. 

“How the hell do you know that?” Dean demanded. When a car honked behind him, he let off the brake and started moving again.

“What day is today?” Alfie asked. Dean was confused. What the hell did the date have to do with anything? And how the hell did Alfie know Dean was upset with Castiel?

“September 25th,” Sam supplied. 

“So what?” Dean inquired. 

“Castiel always gets a little moody this time of year. And very irritable. Like, to the point of total frustration for everyone involved,” Alfie illustrated. 

“What is it about this time of year?” Sam asked. Dean was thinking the same thing. Then, he recalled a conversation between himself and Castiel that happened a few months ago. 

“Is today the anniversary of when his mom…oh shit,” Dean trailed off, a wave of understanding washing over him. Sam was still confused.

“When his mom what?” Sam asked, wanting to understand the context. 

“The actual anniversary is tomorrow,” Alfie said before turning to Sam, “Castiel’s mom was shot in a bank robbery,” Alfie explained gently, “and ever since, this time of year, Castiel gets super weird about control and he gets super defensive when people try to get him to do things.”

“Oh,” Dean realized, “I tried to talk to him this morning and I grabbed his arm to make him stay in the room with me. Then I literally said the word ‘control’, Jesus Christ,” Dean said. He laughed at how wrong he went about that conversation. 

“Yeah, I bet he didn’t like that,” Alfie said, “the first year anniversary, I tried to get him to go to the movies with me so he wouldn’t just sit around thinking about it, and we got into a nasty fight. The best thing to do is just wait it out and let it pass. He’ll text or call when he realizes what he’s done,” Alfie assured Dean. 

“Yeah, but I guess he and Naomi got into another argument and she took away his phone,” Dean told Alfie. The boy in the backseat let out a long breath. 

“That’s not good,” he stated simply, “she probably tried to control him one way or another, and made the whole thing worse.” 

“Great,” Dean said sarcastically. “So, my boyfriend is mad at me,” Dean stated, “I can’t text him because his phone was taken away, I can’t go to his house because Naomi is there, and even if I _did_ show up, we’d probably just end up fighting even more because I don’t even know how to talk to Cas right now,” Dean listed out, frustrating himself even further. 

“Castiel isn’t mad at _you_ ,” Alfie comforted, “I promise, once tomorrow passes, he’ll calm down, realize how he’s been acting, and apologize. It happens every year.”

“Why doesn’t he go to therapy or something?” Sam asked. 

“He used to. Not specifically for this, but to talk about how he was dealing with his mom’s death in general. He actually wasn’t in therapy anymore by the time the first anniversary rolled around. At one point, he stopped going because he didn’t think he needed it anymore. He kept saying he was fine, and I guess he just stopped talking during the sessions that he even bothered to show up to. He definitely _wasn’t_ fine when he started refusing to go to his appointments. That was about the time he started getting really close with Balthazar and I know for a fact that they got up to some bad stuff. Drinking and partying, among other things,” Alfie revealed. 

“Cas? Drunk? I’d like to see that,” Sam said amusedly. Dean gave him another look. They pulled into the driveway and Dean put the car in park. 

“Sam, why don’t you head inside, I want to ask Alfie a few questions,” Dean said. 

“You know he’s just going to tell me what you say anyway,” Sam said matter-of-factly. Sometimes, having a younger sibling was harrowing. 

“Get out,” Dean asserted, his tone harsher than before. Sam took the hint and went to the house. Dean turned sideways in the front seat to talk to Alfie. 

“Is Balthazar a good guy?” Dean asked. Alfie seemed to go back and forth in his own head, weighing out the pros and cons of Castiel’s friend. 

“He’s not terrible,” Alfie supplied, “I mean, I guess he helped Castiel through some stuff, but he wasn’t really nice to _me_. I think he tolerated me because Castiel told him to or something,” he speculated. 

“Did you know that they, um...” Dean trailed off, moving his hands in weird gestures, trying to find the correct wording to put this in, “slept together sometimes?” he finished awkwardly, his brain not supplying him with quite the correct words. Alfie laughed. 

“Uh, yeah, they did a little more than that,” Alfie said, a laugh evident in his voice. Dean pulled his eyebrows together in confusion. 

“More?” Dean asked. When he had discussed this with Cas, his boyfriend told him that there wasn’t a real connection between them; that what he and Balthazar had was _just_ sex. Now Alfie was saying there was ‘more’. Did Castiel lie to him that night? They both shared really personal stuff; that was the night he and Cas had sex for the first time. And Castiel had been _lying_ to him? 

Dean knew he was spiralling, but he couldn’t help it. He and Cas hadn’t been talking as frequently as they usually did, and that alone had Dean feeling distant from Cas. Not knowing the full truth about the whole Balthazar situation was more impactful than Dean would ever admit to. Did he even know his boyfriend? At all? And he couldn’t call Cas or go talk about it with him because of Naomi and the anniversary and-

“Yeah,” Alfie said, cutting off Dean’s train of thought, “It wasn’t just sometimes. It was all the time. They went out almost every weekend, sometimes, even week _days_. Balthazar lived in an upscale apartment with his dad, who was away a lot on business. Plus it was Chicago. Balthazar knew where the parties were, and Castiel liked to party. It was a match made in heaven,” Alfie said bitterly. 

Dean was a bit relieved to hear that ‘more’ meant frequency, not depth. This day was a rollercoaster of emotions for him. He just wanted to talk to Cas, but he knew that wouldn’t be possible. And even if he _could_ talk to Cas, Dean knew Balthazar would be the last thing on Cas' list to talk about. And heaven forbid Dean ‘control’ the conversation. 

Dean halted that train of thought. He processed Alfie's last couple sentences, and Dean felt terrible. Honestly, he had never really put it together that Alfie must’ve had feelings for Castiel. And _of course_ Alfie had feelings for Castiel. He felt like an asshole, making him talk about Castiel in this context. 

“That must’ve sucked,” Dean said. Trying to backtrack into safer territory. 

“Yeah, but, everything that happened with Castiel sort of led me to Sam, so in a way...it all worked out. Plus, seeing you two together,” Alfie shook his head, “I never would’ve stood a chance.” 

Dean tucked his chin and smiled, a blush forming at his cheeks. Suddenly, his thoughts seemed to rationalize, and he calmed down about his and Cas' relationship. He was still irritated by Cas' attitude, but getting the reassurance that it would pass was comforting. Of course he didn’t know everything about Castiel, and Castiel sure as hell didn’t know everything about him. They had only been dating for a few months, there was only so much you could learn about a person in that amount of time. Dean opened his door and the boys walked into the house together. 


	17. Blithering Idiot

Dean tried to contact Castiel multiple times the next day. He tried texting first, but that got him nothing but frustrated. He decided to try snapchatting Castiel. Although, Dean didn’t know how that was really any different since they were both on Cas' phone. 

Dean decided to check Cas' other social media, just wanting to know whether or not Cas had been active lately. After cycling through multiple apps, Dean concluded that Castiel must not have gotten his phone back. He also entertained the notion that Castiel was just busy doing something else, but even if Castiel were busy, he would’ve told Dean beforehand if he was going to be away from his phone for a long period of time. 

Dean set his phone on the dining room table and decided to make himself a snack. While digging around in the fridge, he heard his phone buzzing, indicating that he had an incoming call. He closed the fridge door and quickly retrieved his phone. He was disappointed when the person calling him wasn’t Castiel. 

“Hey,” he answered, not being able to keep the disappointment out of his voice. 

“What? You’re not happy to hear from me?” Charlie quipped on the other line, “I’m hurt, Dean.” Dean just rolled his eyes. 

“Of course I’m happy to hear from you, I just-”

“Wanted to hear from your boy-toy, I get it,” Charlie said, half jokingly. 

“Don’t call him that,” Dean protested, “what do you want?”

“A pleasant conversation, but it looks like I’m not getting that,” she remarked sassily. “I had a feeling you’d spend today moping about Mr. M.I.A., so I’m calling as more of a courtesy before I come pick you up. We’re going to go to Ash’s party tonight. I know you don’t like drinking, but I don’t wanna hear anything about you not wanting to go out because-”

“Ok,” Dean agreed, shocking his friend on the phone. 

“Wait, really? I thought I was going to have to do a lot more convincing, I had a whole analogy and everything,” Charlie said. 

“No, I’ll go. Can I crash at your house tonight?” Dean asked. 

“Yeah, of course! So you’re actually going to drink with me this time?” Charlie asked. 

“Yeah, why not?” Dean replied. He needed a night to relax and let off some steam.

“Sweet! I’ll see you in 20!” Charlie said before hanging up. Dean laughed to himself and went to his room to change. After putting on an old pair of jeans and a t-shirt he didn’t mind getting spilled on, he went back upstairs to ask his mom if he could stay the night at Charlie’s house. He got her approval and waited for Charlie to pick him up. 

The pair showed up to the party a little after 10:00 p.m. 

Ash’s parties were very well attended. There was a large volume of people, and a larger volume of alcohol. They entered through the back door that led through a small laundry room, opening up into the kitchen. In front of them were stairs that led up, around, and back down to the living room. They went up those because there were so many kids packed in the kitchen; that’s where the alcohol was. 

Dean and Charlie passed another set of stairs on their right that led to a small landing with three bedrooms and a bathroom. They saw a few people on the landing, and hoped for Ash’s sake that nobody was in the bedrooms. As they rounded the corner to the heart of the home, a few people yelled greetings up at the pair. They descended the stairs into the living room, pushing past sophomores who didn’t know how to pace themselves, and juniors who didn’t know how to flirt. Ash had a very strict ‘no freshman’ rule for his house parties. 

The host noticed a few people hollering greetings over the music towards the stairs, and turned to see who had arrived. He saw Charlie and Dean coming down the stairs and promptly brought them two red solo cups. He beamed at them as they took his offering.

“Keepin’ it classy,” Dean said, referring to the cups. Ash gave him the rock on hand sign. 

“Glad to see you here, man. Didn’t think I’d have you back at another one,” he said, clapping Dean on the shoulder. “I usually charge five bucks a cup, but you, my friend, drink free,” Ash said. 

“What’s in this?” Charlie asked, taking a sip. 

“Jungle juice, man. Secret recipe,” Ash replied, beaming at Charlie. Someone yelled his name from deeper into the crowd, and Ash gave a quick goodbye before going to his friend. 

Dean sniffed his cup and shrugged. It smelled fruity. He was surprised that he couldn’t even taste the alcohol. He understood why the sophomores couldn’t pace themselves; the drink was delicious. If he hadn’t already made the mistake of overdoing it on the mixed drinks his sophomore year, he would’ve been on his second cup by now.

The pair ventured deeper into the crowd, talking to people they knew, getting hit on by people they didn't. They danced to the music that was much too loud and sipped their juice. When they finished their drinks, Dean nodded his head towards the kitchen, silently suggesting a refill. Charlie enthusiastically nodded her head and grabbed his hand before dragging him through the crowd. Charlie passed through the threshold into the kitchen and Dean glanced to his right, looking up the stairs. He came to a halt and blinked a few times to make sure he was seeing correctly. 

“Cas?” he yelled. The boy turned around and matched the look of confusion on his boyfriend’s face. 

“Dean?” he asked back. Charlie noticed Dean wasn’t behind her anymore and went to see what the hold up was. Her eyebrows shot up to her hairline when she saw Castiel standing about five steps up the staircase, holding a red plastic cup. 

“What are you doing here?” Dean asked, referencing the party around them. 

“What?” Castiel asked back, unable to hear Dean over the noise. Dean climbed a few steps so they could hear each other better. He leaned in to speak directly into Cas' ear. 

“I asked what you were doing here,” Dean repeated. 

“Getting drunk,” Castiel replied, “although, it’s gonna take a bit more than this,” he added on, raising his cup slightly. 

“What?” Dean asked.

“Getting drunk,” Cas repeated, leaving off the rest of his sentence. 

“I thought you were grounded,” Dean said. 

“Yeah? So did Naomi,” Castiel replied. 

“I can barely hear you, let’s go upstairs,” Dean suggested, pointing the direction he wanted to go. Cas turned around and started climbing the stairs. Dean noticed the landing up the second staircase was empty, so he pointed to that and they made their way to the quieter location. With the noise level down to about a 6, they boys only had to raise their voices slightly in order to hear each other. 

“So how’d you hear about the party?” Dean asked. 

“Ash,” Castiel answered, “we had computer class together last year,” he explained further. Dean nodded in understanding. 

“So what happened with you and Naomi? Why’d she ground you?” Dean asked, hoping the alcohol in Cas' system had loosened him up a little bit. Castiel rolled his eyes. 

“Just stupid shit,” he said, “she took away my ‘privileges’,” he said, clumsily using air quotes with the cup still in his hand. Dean gave him a confused look.

“Phone, computer, keys, all that,” Castiel explained. 

“Sounds pretty serious. Are you sure you should be out right now?” Dean asked. 

“Why? Are you going to turn me in?” Castiel asked, a bit more on edge than when they started the conversation. 

“What? No! I just meant-”

“Save it,” Castiel interrupted, moving towards the stairs. 

“Cas!” Dean yelled, trying to get him to stop. Before Cas could get to the first step, Dean grabbed his arm. He knew it was a mistake but he didn’t know how else to stop him from leaving. Cas yanked free like he did in the classroom and snapped at Dean.

“You need to quit doing that,” Castiel demanded. At least it kept him from going down the stairs. 

“You need to quit _acting_ like that,” Dean shot back. 

“Like what? _Flighty?_ I’m gettin’ a real sense of deja vu here Dean,” Castiel said. Dean tried desperately to think of something to diffuse the tension. Or at least to keep Cas from going back downstairs. 

“I’m sorry about that, but Cas, I’m worried about you,” Dean said. 

“Yeah, well, don’t be,” Cas said, downing the last of what was in his cup. Dean was affronted. How could Cas say that? Of course Dean was going to worry about Cas, he was his boyfriend! And Dean sure hoped Castiel worried about him in exchange. 

“Don’t be worried about you?” Dean asked incredulously, “Cas, baby, of course I’m gonna worry about you,” Dean expressed. “I know today is hard for you and that you’re just here to distract yourself but-”

“What do you mean ‘today is hard for me’?” Castiel asked icily, narrowing his eyes at Dean. Wow, Dean was not good at handling these types of situations.

“I just meant that...what with your mom’s...anniversary and all-” 

“You know what? I’m surprised to see you here too, Dean,” Castiel said. Dean did not like the tone of his voice. “What with your _dad_ and all.” 

Dean deflated at those words. Did they really just come out of his own boyfriend’s mouth? Sure, he’d expect that kind of jab from one of the drunk idiots in the living room but from his _own boyfriend?_ Dean was at a loss for words. He swallowed thickly, and tensed his jaw. He went around Cas, harshly bumping shoulders with him as he returned to the party downstairs. Castiel just laughed bitterly and tried to take another sip of his drink. He was disappointed to remember that he had drank the last sip of it only moments earlier. He threw his cup on the floor and made his way to the living room, hoping to find someone with straight liquor. 

Dean found Charlie in the kitchen, chatting up a cute blonde. When she noticed Dean, she waved him over. 

“Dean, this is Jo, she’s an Aries and-” 

“We’re leaving,” Dean said, not in the mood to hear about Charlie’s new friend. 

“What? Why?” Charlie asked, “Where’s Cas?” she added when she didn’t see him behind Dean, like she expected. 

“Let’s go,” he said again. Charlie got the hint and said a short goodbye to her new friend. 

“I was really getting somewhere with her,” Charlie complained as they stepped out into the backyard. They started the ten minute trek back to Charlie’s house, luckily, the temperature outside wasn’t too bad. 

⚣

Castiel waded through the crowd in search of a bottle of liquor. He grew annoyed with the people trying to get him to dance. He didn’t want to dance; he wanted to get drunk. Well, drunk _er_. 

He didn’t want to think about anything. Not his fight with Naomi, not his chat with his father, not the fact that he was being treated like a child, and _definitely_ not the fight he and Dean had just gotten into. The worst part was that he knew he was wrong. He knew he should’ve cleaned up the kitchen. He knew his father was just trying to help. He knew Naomi’s punishment lined up pretty well with the way he’d been acting. 

And he knew he had treated Dean like shit. 

He just wasn’t willing to think about any of that at the moment. His current task was procuring alcohol, specifically gin. He found some in the butler’s pantry off the kitchen. After taking one too many pulls off of that, he wandered into the kitchen. Someone tried to pull him into a dance, but he managed to wiggle out of it. He downed another half of a cup of juice and decided to go outside for some fresh air. 

He saw someone standing nearby smoking a cigarette and playing with their phone.

“Hey,” he called out to them. The stranger looked up to identify where the noise had come from. “Can I borrow your phone?” Cas slurred. They looked Cas up and down and hesitantly agreed, hoping Castiel was going to use it to call a ride. The drunk teen clutched the phone and entered one of the three numbers he knew by heart. It rang five times before the person on the other line picked up.

_“Hello?”_

“Hey, Balthy! It’s me,” Castiel said. 

_“Cassie? It’s past midnight. Are you drunk?”_ Balthazar asked. Castiel never called him ‘Balthy’ sober. 

“Juss a lil bit,” Castiel answered. 

_“And whose phone did you swipe?”_ the brit asked.

“I di’nt swipe it. They lemmie borrow it,” Castiel explained, smiling at the stranger who lent him the phone. 

_“Ok, why didn’t you call me from_ your _phone?_ ” he pressed on, hoping to get some real answers out of his friend. 

“The bitch,” Cas snarled. 

_“Oh, Cassie,”_ Balthazar sighed, _“I assume you’ve snuck out if Naomi’s taken away your phone,”_ he speculated. _“You know I’m not there to drag your lightweight arse back home. Go find Dean, I’m sure he’ll get you somewhere safe,”_ Balthazar suggested. 

“Can’t,” Castiel said. 

_“Is he not with you?”_ Balthazar asked. He felt like he was talking to a second grader. 

“No, Balthy, we’re in ‘n arg...armgu…’n a fight,” Castiel said. 

_“And he left you there?”_ Balthazar asked. He was just starting to like Dean, what with all the stories Castiel told him over their skype sessions. Balthazar knew Castiel could get a little mouthy when he was drunk, but even if they _had_ gotten into an argument, Dean never should’ve left Cas stranded at a party. 

“No, no, no,” Castiel amended, “we di’nt come togeth’r.” 

_“Then who are you there with?”_ Balthazar asked. 

“Myseeellllves,” Castiel sing-songed. Balthazar sighed. Castiel was reaching his singing phase of drunkenness. 

_“Castiel, you blithering idiot,”_ Balthazar said softly. 

“Don’t be mad a’ me,” Castiel pleaded, “you’re the only one I got left.”

_“Castiel, what’s Dean’s number?”_ Balthazar asked, realizing he’d have to take matters into his own hands. 

“Why? You gonna..gonna tell ‘im that..that-”

_“Cassie, just give me the number,”_ Balthazar ordered. Castiel rattled off the number obediently. Memorizing telephone numbers had become somewhat of a lost art with his generation, but ever since Naomi started taking his phone away, he started committing them to memory. It made him feel less isolated during his groundings. _“Thank you, if you’re not outside already, go there. Maybe try to find some water,”_ Balthazar instructed before hanging up. 

Castiel looked at the phone and realized Balthazar had hung up on him. He handed the phone back to the stranger and went to sit on one of the steps leading up to the back porch. He decided to lean his head on the railing and shut his eyes for a few minutes. It turned out to be a bit longer than a few minutes. 

“Cas?” The blue eyed boy jolted awake, blinking furiously to try to steady his vision. The world seemed to be spinning just a bit too fast for him. 

“Slow it down,” Cas said, grabbing the arm of the person that shook him awake. 

“You’re not moving,” the person said. Castiel waited a few seconds while he gathered himself, then looked at the person touching him. 

“Dean,” he said happily, “I was jus’ talkin’ ‘bout you.” 

“That’s great, can you stand up?” he asked curtly. 

“You’re mad,” Castiel observed, leaning heavily on Dean when he managed to get on his feet. 

“And you’re drunk,” Dean said crossly. He could smell the booze on Cas' breath. “C’mon, let’s get you home,” Dean said, starting to walk them in the direction of Charlie’s parked car. He’d barely had anything to drink at the party, and he’d left hours ago. Charlie had picked him up from his house before the party, so he didn’t have access to his own car. 

Dean managed to get Castiel into the passenger seat and buckle him up without too much trouble. When he was buckled in his own seat and headed back towards his own house, he spoke up. 

“Are you stupid?” he asked sharply. Castiel stammered for a response, but Dean didn’t let him form any real words - not that he could anyway. “Why the fuck did you get drunk when you knew no one was there to keep an eye on you and that you didn’t have a ride home?” Dean asked. Castiel just stared at his hands on his lap, looking like a scolded child. Which, really, wasn’t far off from what he was. 

“What was your game plan? Do you know how reckless and irresponsible that was?” Dean pressed on. 

“Balthazar-” Cas started before Dean cut him off. 

“Yeah, let’s talk about Balthazar,” Dean said heatedly. “He’s the one that called me to let me know what an idiot you are. He told me you called him up drunk off your ass from some stranger’s phone. He’s the one that called me to come get you.” Castiel sunk further and further back into his seat the more Dean laid into him. 

“You’re real mad,” Castiel said quietly. 

“You’re fucking right I am,” Dean snapped back, his grip on the steering wheel turning his knuckles white, “you’re lucky I didn’t leave you there, or call Naomi to go get you.” 

Castiel started crying. It was quiet at first, just a few tears rolling down his cheek. It quickly grew into choked back sobs and short intakes of breath. Dean sighed. Tonight was not the night to hash things out. His priority was to get Castiel somewhere safe to sleep this off. Dean relented his lecture and drove the rest of the way home in silence, the only sounds being Cas' quiet sniffles and the engine’s low humming.

They arrived at Dean’s house and quietly entered through the front door, not wanting to wake the other occupants of the house. Dean had to practically carry Cas down the stairs. He debated silently whether he should stick Cas on the couch, or let him use his bed. He was still pissed at him, so the couch seemed like a good option as a passive-aggressive punishment. 

Dean sighed heavily and knew he couldn’t leave his boyfriend out there, no matter how much of an idiot he was acting like. He turned right, leading Cas into his bedroom and gently setting him on the bed. Castiel’s head quickly found the pillows, and Dean had to take his shoes off and pull the covers over him. He placed his trash can at the side of his bed and went upstairs. 

He filled a glass with water and snagged a couple ibuprofen out of the medicine cabinet in the bathroom. He placed those on his nightstand and looked down at his sleeping boyfriend. He shook his head.

“‘M sorry,” Cas mumbled, eyes still shut. Dean reached down and ran his hand through his hair.

“Get some sleep,” he whispered. He took out his phone and snapped a picture, Castiel not even flinching at the flash. He sent it to both Balthazar and Charlie with the caption ‘safe & sound’. Dean grabbed a pillow and the quilt off of his futon and went to camp out on the couch in the den. They both needed some sleep. 

Before he could drift off, he got a text from Balthazar. 

_> >> Thank you again. Sorry that he’s such a pain in the arse - Balthazar_

_< << I’m sure you’ve dealt with worse - Dean_

He locked his phone and laid down on the couch, ready for some much needed sleep. 


	18. So Much to Love, So Much to Learn

Castiel was awoken suddenly the next morning. His eyes flew open and the only thought in his head was “oh no”. He leaned over the side of the bed and threw up, cringing at the taste of his own vomit. He praised every deity he could think of that there was a trash can right next to the bed. He heaved a few more times and sighed deeply. When he felt stable enough, he pulled back from the side of the bed and sat up. He looked around and realized he was not in his own bedroom. He was in Dean’s. He looked to his right and was disappointed when he didn’t find Dean on the other half of the bed. There wasn’t even a trace that Dean had been in the bed at all. 

Confused, Castiel tried to recall the night before. He had snuck out and gone to Ash’s party. Getting there was a bitch, too, since he didn’t have his keys or his phone. He ended up walking almost three of the fifteen miles it took to reach Ash’s house. Luckily, someone from school had noticed him and offered him a ride. 

What Castiel couldn’t remember was how he got _here_. Ash’s house was even farther away from Dean’s house, so he wouldn’t have walked all the way here. Castiel wasn’t stupid enough to drink and get behind the wheel, so he certainly didn’t drive here. Even if he were that stupid, he didn’t have a car at the party anyway. 

Castiel was too exhausted to retrace his footsteps. As he looked to his left, he noticed a glass of water and a couple pills on the nightstand. He hadn’t realized how thirsty he was until he saw that glass of water sitting there, begging to be drunk. He practically lunged at the glass and drank almost all of it in three huge gulps. He pulled back to breathe, and decided to take the ibuprofen that was left for him while there was still water remaining in his glass. After doing that, he realized how full his bladder was. He quickly drew back the covers and darted to the bathroom. 

⚣

Dean woke up to the sounds of vomiting coming from his own room. He frowned in disgust. He was happy that he had had enough foresight to place his trash can next to the bed; he only hoped Castiel had good aim. After a few moments, he heard his bedroom door open, followed by the bathroom door closing. Dean decided to go upstairs to see if anyone else in his family had woken up. He pit stopped in his room to deposit the pillow and blanket he slept with. He was technically supposed to be spending the night at Charlie’s. 

After confirming his family was still asleep (it was only a little past six in the morning on a Sunday, after all), he quietly padded back downstairs. 

He knocked on the bathroom door quietly. If he were to have his way, he would’ve pounded on the door just to give Cas a hard time with his hangover, but Dean’s family was still asleep, and it needed to stay that way. Dean heard a gruff reply that was more of a grunt than any actual words. After a moment, Castiel opened the door. 

“You should probably get back home,” Dean whispered, “before anyone notices you’re missing.”

Castiel nodded and followed Dean. They stopped in his bedroom to collect the trash (before it started to smell) and put on shoes. After that, they tiptoed up the stairs and out the front door. Castiel placed the trash bag in the bin Dean pointed at, then followed Dean to where he had parked Charlie’s car. Castiel was a bit confused when they walked right past Dean’s car, but he just went along with it when Charlie’s car came into sight. 

The quick drive to Cas' house was uncomfortable at best. Both boys had a lot of things on their minds, but neither of them particularly wanted to voice those things.

Dean was still mad at Castiel. He was mad at him for blowing him off at school, for arguing with him when he was just trying to help, for bringing up his dad around drunk teenagers. 

Castiel was ashamed. He was ashamed of himself for acting so childishly towards Naomi, for being so aggressive towards anyone who tried to talk to him, for treating Dean like he had been the past few days. 

Dean pulled up in front of Cas' house, figuring it would be easier for Cas to sneak back in from the front of the house, rather than the park behind it. Castiel muttered a quiet thank you and got out of the car. Dean watched him begin to climb the tree and pulled away, heading back towards Charlie’s house. 

⚣

Castiel slipped in through the window and gently closed it before walking across the bathroom and turning on the lights. He cringed when the fluorescents shone down on him, and turned off half of them, rubbing at his temples. He heard muffled noises coming from somewhere else in the house. He ignored it and turned towards the mirror. He looked almost as bad as he felt. He had bags under his eyes, and his hair was an absolute mess. 

His head whipped to the closed bathroom door when he heard Naomi storm into his room. The sudden movement had him dashing back towards the toilet. He barely managed to open it before he went another round against his stomach. 

“Castiel?” Naomi’s voice called, muffled through the closed door. Castiel threw up once more, a bit louder this time, almost as if he were signalling to Naomi that he was in the bathroom. 

“Castiel? Are you ok? You don’t sound good,” Naomi said, having heard her stepson through the door. Castiel rolled his eyes. 

“Just peachy,” he replied sarcastically before dry heaving once more. 

“We’re headed to church,” she said, electing to leave Castiel’s sarcasm unacknowledged, “are you able to come along?” she inquired. Naomi still asked him if he would be going with her every single Sunday, even after their huge fight. He assumed that she thought he would suddenly ‘come to his senses’ or ‘see the light’ or whatever. Castiel just threw up once more.

“I’m gonna go with no,” he replied, flushing the toilet.

“Well, get some more rest and drink lots of water. We’ll be home in a couple hours.” With that, Naomi left Castiel’s bedroom and went to mass. Castiel scooted away from the toilet, leaning his back against the wall directly under the window. He let out a sigh of relief. If Dean had dropped him off any later, he would’ve gotten busted, and Naomi would probably put bars on his windows and forbid him from ever leaving the house again. 

After sitting there for a moment longer, he gained some resolve. He was going to fix his mistakes of the past week. He pushed himself off of the floor and stopped to brush his teeth before heading downstairs. 

When he entered the kitchen, he let out a sigh and shook his head. It was still in the same state it had been since Naomi had asked him to clean it. He dove right in, throwing away the trash that littered the countertops. After that was finished, he packed the dishwasher as full as he could get it. He filled the sink with hot water and soap and washed the remaining dishes by hand. After drying the dishes, he stacked them in their correct cupboards and drawers. Then, he got disinfectant wipes and wiped down the countertops. Once that was finished, he took the swiffer out of the closet and cleaned the hardwood floors in the kitchen and dining area. While he returned it to the closet, he saw the vacuum sitting there, and decided to run it over the carpet in the living room. He actually rolled the cord up nicely after he was done this time. He was in a surprisingly good mood, considering the week he’d had and the chores he was doing. 

He reentered the kitchen and noticed the dishwasher was done. He started unloading it, singing to himself louder than he normally did, since he had the house to himself. He was singing so loud, in fact, that he didn’t hear the garage door open. He nearly dropped the plate he was putting in the cupboard when he heard Naomi’s voice. 

“You’ve cleaned,” she stated, looking around the kitchen, finally able to see the countertops. 

“Yeah,” Castiel said, placing the final plate in its place and closing the cabinet. “I’m...sorry it took so long,” he continued. Part of him was floored that he was apologizing to Naomi, but a different part of him - a more mature part of him - knew it was the right thing to do. 

“Are you still sick?” she asked. Castiel was confused until he remembered that the last time Naomi spoke with him, he had been staring into his toilet. 

“No, I don’t really know what that was. I’m fine now, really,” he said, “I’m going to go take a shower,” he added on, looking for an excuse to hide in his room again. He really did need a shower, anyway. 

As the warm water cascaded down his back, he thought desperately of ways to make it up to Dean. He knew he needed to do a little more than give a simple apology. He needed to give a full explanation, but Castiel _really_ didn’t want to do that. If he explained things to Dean, that would put him in such a vulnerable position, and he was not up for being exposed like that. He didn’t want to have to tell Dean these things while they were in a fight; he wanted to tell Dean when he knew he would be supported. That’s not to say that Castiel believed Dean wouldn’t support him - even in the midst of a fight - but he just wasn’t willing to go out on this particular limb. Not right now. There were a lot of things surrounding his mother’s death - and his subsequent actions - that were holding him back. 

After completing his shower routine, he turned the water off and grabbed a towel from the rod. He dried off and entered his bedroom to pick out some clothes for the day. He settled on some jeans and a light, gray long sleeve shirt. As he pulled that over his head, he heard a knock on his door. He told the person behind it to come in. 

Naomi entered the room, her hands full. Castiel looked between the items she was carrying and her face many times. She set the items on his desk and turned towards him. 

“Thank you for cleaning up the kitchen and vacuuming the living room,” she started, “it should have never taken that long, but a deal is a deal. You cleaned up and apologized for your actions, so you’ve earned your privileges back.” 

Castiel just stood there, his mouth agape. He was hoping this wasn’t all just some dream that he would wake up from. When he realized this was - in fact - reality, he closed his mouth.

“Uhhh, tha-thank you,” he stammered. Naomi acting nice always caught him off guard. She gave a tight smile and nodded once before turning around and leaving Castiel’s room. As soon as the door closed, Castiel lunged at his belongings, quickly turning on his phone. He waited anxiously as it started up. When it finally did reboot, there was an onslaught of messages and notifications, many of them from Dean over the past few days. Castiel’s heart was heavy as he opened his texts from Dean. Many of them asked what Castiel was doing, if he was free that weekend, if Naomi had taken his phone. Once Cas had read all of those, he fired up snapchat. To no one’s surprise, there were quite a few pictures sent from Dean asking the same type of questions as Dean’s texts. Castiel quickly sent a picture of his ‘privileges’ sitting on his desk. He wanted Dean to know he had his phone back. 

Castiel felt...guilty. Guilty for lashing out at Dean, for getting drunk and being an asshole, for not wanting to explain himself because it would put him in a position of weakness. Of vulnerability. To fully justify his actions, Castiel would have to tell Dean a lot of things he just wasn’t ready to tell him. It was too early in the relationship, and Castiel feared that these things might break it. And he wasn’t ready to let go of Dean. 

His phone buzzed.

_> >> I see you got your phone back -Dean_

_< << Yeah. I cleaned up the kitchen, so Naomi gave my stuff back -Castiel_

_> >> Are you ok? -Dean_

_< << Better than this morning. Thank you for taking care of me. Especially after what happened -Castiel_

_> >> Yeah. -Dean_

Castiel sighed. He could tell Dean was upset. Mincing his words. Castiel was mad at _himself_ for his actions over the weekend. 

_< << And you have every right to be mad at me Dean. I’m sorry. I’m really, genuinely sorry -Castiel_

It was a while before he heard back from Dean. 

_> >> I’ll see you at school tomorrow -Dean_

Castiel took that for what it was: an end to the conversation. He plugged his phone in and left it on the bedside table. 

The rest of the day passed slowly and he didn’t hear from Dean at all. He kept himself busy by watching Netflix and talking to Balthazar. The British boy chastised Cas at the beginning, but they moved on and were back to normal. The day felt a bit surreal. Castiel knew there was “impending doom” waiting for him on Monday, but he blocked it out for the time being with anything else he could find. It was a relative peace that still kept his stomach in a knot. He wished for the weekend to be over, but secretly wanted Monday to take its time getting there. 

It was an existence Castiel could go his entire life without ever feeling again. 

⚣

Monday rolled around and Castiel was not prepared. He didn’t know what he was going to say to Dean. Or if he should even say anything at all. And they had first period together. 

Castiel pulled into the school parking lot at 7:47am, which left him thirteen minutes before he needed to be in class. Cas spotted Dean’s car parked in its usual spot. He felt like he had to talk to someone before he went inside. Dean wasn’t an option for obvious reasons, Balthazar didn’t know enough about Dean to help him, and Cas wasn’t about to go to Dean’s little brother, either. That left him with only one person to contact. He pulled out his phone and opened snapchat. He sent a message to Charlie.

_< << What do I do? -Castiel_

Thankfully, Charlie replied right away.

_> >> About? -Charlie_

_< << This weekend. Dean. -Castiel_

_> >> Ahh. My best advice? Just explain it to him. Probably not in public though. He’s a pretty private person...he doesn't want his laundry aired in the school hallways, ya know? -Charlie_

_< << Yeah. Thank you. And I owe you an apology as well. I was acting terribly towards everyone. I’m sorry -Castiel_

_> >> Don’t sweat it, dude -Charlie _

Castiel felt a little better about what he was walking into. He grabbed his backpack and made his way to American Government. 

The day passed relatively normally. Castiel and Dean made small talk, but didn’t hold much conversation outside of what was necessary. It wasn’t entirely bad, but it was mildly uncomfortable. As the bell rang for 7th period (calculus), Dean stood up and packed his backpack to leave. He stopped Castiel before he walked away from the table. 

“Can you come over after school?” he asked. Castiel swallowed. 

“Um, yeah I think so. I’ll have to ask Naomi,” Cas replied. Dean nodded his head. 

“Just let me know,” and with that, Dean was headed towards the parking lot. Castiel sent a vague text to Naomi on his way to P.E. By the time the final bell rang, he had permission to “go to a friend’s house” under the stipulation that he was home by 6:30pm. Which only gave him three hours. He wasn’t happy about the timeframe, but he was going to take what he could get at this point. 

Castiel shot off a text to Dean before he pulled out of the parking lot and headed over. When he arrived, he walked in the front door per Dean’s request. 

“Hello?” Mary’s voice called out. 

“Hey Mary, it’s me,” Castiel responded from the entryway. 

“Oh, hello Castiel,” she said heading towards the stairs that Castiel was standing at the bottom of, “how are you?”

“I’m doing alright. How about yourself?” he asked. She smiled. 

“Just finishing up the dishes. I assume you’re here to see Dean? I’m pretty sure he headed right downstairs when he got home. Not even a ‘hi mom’ at the door,” she recounted. 

“Well, I’ll go give him a stern talking to,” Castiel joked, the irony in that statement not lost on him. Mary gave a small laugh. 

“Don’t go too hard on him. Something’s been bothering him for a few days. He’s been sulky all weekend,” she divulged. Castiel gave a tight smile. 

“I’ll see what I can do,” he said. Mary smiled and turned to finish her task. Castiel headed downstairs. His stomach was in knots; he had no idea what he was about to walk into. Peering into the den first, he saw no sign of Dean. He took a few steps into the room to inspect further, but all he could see was a can of pop on the coffee table and a blanket haphazardly thrown across the couch. 

“In here,” came his boyfriend’s voice from behind him. Castiel jumped minutely at the sudden noise. He turned as Dean’s figure disappeared just around the edge of the bedroom door. He collected himself and took a few deep breaths to calm down. He told himself that this wasn’t the end of the world, and that one day, they would look back on this and laugh. Yeah, that worked about as well as he had expected. 

Delaying no further, he walked to Dean’s room. 

“Hello,” Castiel said in greeting, his voice not as strong as it was when he was talking to Mary. He dawdled over to where Dean was sitting at the foot of his bed, feeling less and less prepared for this conversation by the second. When Castiel finally made it, Dean stood from his bed and surprised Castiel by wrapping him in a tight hug. It only took a moment, but Cas was hugging back. They stood like that for a while. 

“I’m sorry,” Cas said into Dean’s shoulder. Dean pulled back and looked at Cas for a moment. He sat back down on his bed and Castiel opted to sit on the futon. He didn’t know how much he was ready to tell Dean. He knew he needed to apologize; that was objective number one, but he wasn’t sure how deep the conversation was going to go. 

“I know I was a complete...asshole these past few days. I was quick to anger, and I took it out on you, which was completely unfair,” he started. Dean could tell his boyfriend was wrestling with something in his head. He wondered if it was related to Naomi, or their fight, or maybe even something else entirely. It wasn’t long before Castiel spoke again, “I’m going to tell you something and I don’t want you to take it as an excuse. I just...I want you to know why I was acting the way I was,” Castiel said. Dean gave a small nod, encouraging him to go on. 

“As, I guess you already know, since you brought it up at the party, Saturday was the anniversary of my mom’s death. I assume Alfie told you, since nobody else that you would know even knew about that,” Castiel said, searching for any acknowledgement from Dean. The other teen gave a quick nod to answer Castiel’s non-question. 

“Every year around this time I get super defensive and angry and just...rude.” Dean huffed a small laugh through his nose. 

“Yeah? That’s pretty damn convenient,” Dean said. Castiel swallowed. It might not seem like it with the way he acted around Naomi, but Castiel hated confrontation. He usually went to extreme lengths to avoid it. With other people, and even himself. Maybe, he just hated confrontation with those he had a connection with, fearing that the connection would be lost if the boat was rocked too much. Maybe he just didn't have any previous experience with productive conflict resolution. Cas was pulled out of his self-psychoevalutaion when Dean spoke up again. 

“Look, Cas, I understand why you treated me the way you did at school, I really do. Naomi was on your case, and you had a lot on your mind. But...what I can’t wrap my head around is why you said the things you did at the party. I don’t care how drunk you were, or how upset you were, you crossed a line,” Dean said, “my dad-” he cut himself off, his voice wavering too dangerously to finish his thought. 

Castiel nodded solemnly. He honestly had no idea why he brought up Dean’s father. Maybe his subconscious was trying to lash out and hurt someone so he wouldn’t be so lonely, and Dean was unfortunately the easiest for him to hurt. Maybe it was some whiny bullshit about pushing Dean away before he got too close to hurt Cas. Although, it was probably a little too late for that. Either way, he was extremely ashamed of his own actions. 

“I know. I’m so sorry, it was a horrible thing to say and I shouldn’t have said it. I really shouldn’t have even been at that party,” Castiel said, feeling worse about his actions by the minute. 

“I don’t-” Dean took a deep breath, “why’d you stop going to therapy?” Dean asked, surprising the hell out of Castiel.

“Um, what?” he asked, entirely caught off guard by the question. Castiel was certain he hadn’t _ever_ told Dean he was in therapy for _any_ amount of time.

“Therapy. Why did you stop going?” Dean reiterated. 

A beat passed. 

“Alfie told me a lot,” Dean explained. Castiel shook his head. Did Alfie really just go around telling everyone about his trauma? He wanted to be mad at Alfie, hell, he _was_ mad at Alfie. You don’t just go around telling other people...especially a significant other...about someone’s deeply personal issues. Castiel wasn’t really aware of it, but he had started to occasionally mutter under his breath. Although, they weren’t really words Castiel was muttering. Dean could see Castiel was getting upset, so he tried to defuse a bit of the tension. 

“Hey, don’t blame Alfie, he didn’t-” 

“I stopped going because I didn’t need it,” Castiel said sharply, cutting Dean off. He really hadn’t prepared for this. Under no circumstances did he foresee this part of his past coming into play so early in the relationship. 

“You didn’t need it?” Dean parroted, obviously not believing a word his boyfriend was saying. He continued, “Castiel, you lost a parent. That’s not something you just grow out of.” 

“Like you would know,” Castiel retorted without even thinking about it. Dean recoiled, floored by what Castiel had just said. 

“Yeah, of course! What would I know, right? It’s not like that’s ever happened to me,” Dean spat out bitterly. He clenched his jaw, folded his arms in front of himself, and looked away from Cas. The boy on the futon put his hands up to his mouth and closed his eyes when he realized what he had said. He had to be the absolute dumbest person on the face of the earth. 

“Dean,” Castiel said in a gentle tone, reaching out slightly towards the bed. 

“Just forget it,” Dean said, standing up to leave. 

“No! Dean, wait!” Castiel pleaded, lunging off the futon and catching Dean’s arm with his hand in the same manner Dean had done to him, twice. Dean stopped and looked slowly from Cas' hand, up his arm, and to his face. 

“You’re right,” Castiel started, “I shouldn’t have stopped going to therapy, but I was just a kid. I thought I was fine, which...obviously I wasn’t,” Castiel said, letting go of Dean’s arm and walking over to take a seat on the far side of the bed, putting his head in his hands. “I guess that was about the time I started getting close with Balthazar. Going out and partying was more appealing than actually...talking about my problems,” He couldn’t look at Dean; he was too embarrassed. 

“That was some really stupid shit you pulled that night,” Dean said to Castiel’s back. Castiel bit back the urge to get defensive. Dean was right. It _was_ incredibly stupid of him to sneak out and go to that party alone. 

“Yeah,” Castiel said, ashamed. They sat in silence for a long while. After a few minutes, Dean broke the silence. 

“You wanna know why I am so mad about Saturday night?” he asked rhetorically, “you risked...so much by going to that party,” Castiel could almost hear a quiver in Dean’s voice. “And for what? So many things could’ve gone wrong. You could’ve gotten drugged. You could’ve taken a ride from someone as plastered as you. You could’ve-” Dean had to cut himself off. He swallowed thickly and composed himself. Castiel turned his body to look at Dean. “What if Naomi would’ve caught you, huh? Do you know how hard it is for me when she takes your _phone_ away? Do you know how scared I get for you...for us? Every time you two go toe-to-toe, I can’t breathe. What if she looks through our messages and finds out about us? What if she ships you off to fucking Timbuktu and I never even get to say goodbye?” Castiel could see tears forming in his boyfriend’s eyes. All Castiel could do was shake his head. He didn’t know Dean worried this much. He crawled over the bed and wrapped Dean in a hug. He was relieved when Dean returned it; he had feared that Dean would push him away.

“I’m so sorry,” Castiel whispered. They stood for a long time in the embrace. Dean was at the end of his emotional rope. He didn’t get much sleep over the weekend and basically isolated himself in his room. He relished the physical contact, knowing that most of the fight was behind them. They still had more to talk about, but it could wait. Castiel was just relieved that they seemed to navigate this without doing any irreparable damage. He was going to have to get better at this whole ‘talking about his issues’ thing. 

Dean pulled back after a few minutes. They stared at each other for a long time, not even so much as motioning to break the contact. Dean’s hands remained wrapped around Castiel’s lower back, and Castiel’s arms remained looped around Dean’s neck. After a moment, Dean leaned in and kissed Castiel. The shorter boy melted into the kiss. 

Castiel felt a thousand pounds lighter. Dean knew one of his most embarrassing secrets, and he was still there, kissing him. He kissed back fiercely, finishing his apology and then some. Dean pulled back abruptly and stared at Cas for a moment. He unlooped Castiel’s arms from around his neck and pushed him onto the bed with one hand. Cas obliged and once he landed on the covers, he crawled backwards to lie down properly. Dean smiled. 

Instead of returning to kissing, like Castiel had anticipated, Dean sprawled out over Cas and pillowed his head on Cas' chest. He snaked his arms around Castiel and kissed his sternum before lying his head down. Castiel laughed and wrapped his arms around Dean. He shifted his lower body until they were both comfortable and he kissed the top of Dean’s head. 

Castiel could live out his entire existence just like this. Before long, he noticed Dean had fallen asleep. He carefully extracted his phone from his pocket and set an alarm for 6pm. That gave them about an hour or so before Castiel had to leave. Before long, Castiel was asleep as well, Dean’s weight and warmth a larger comfort than he’d ever be willing to admit. 

About 15 minutes later, Mary came down to check on the boys and noticed they were asleep. She was proud of Dean for keeping his door open. She knew he hated the rule, but it was what she grew up with, and it’s what her boys were going to grow up with. She hoped it deterred them from getting... _up_ to anything. She went into the den and grabbed a blanket to cover them with. After she was done, she returned upstairs to get started on dinner. She wondered if Castiel would be joining them. 

The alarm went off and the boys both groaned in protest. Cas turned it off and rubbed his eyes. Dean stretched a little bit, but kept his arms around his boyfriend. Castiel smiled and kissed the top of Dean’s head. He noticed they had been covered in a blanket and smiled, figuring Mary must’ve thrown it over them. 

Dean shifted once more and looked down at Cas. He smiled sleepily and leaned down for a kiss before extracting his arms from underneath his boyfriend to prop himself up. Cas placed his own arms around Dean’s neck and kissed him soundly. Dean deepened the kiss by adding a little tongue. Castiel had no objections, quite the opposite actually. Dean shifted on top of him and Castiel could feel his boyfriend’s excitement on the inside of his thigh. Cas slid one of his arms down to Dean’s back as the other went up into Dean’s hair. After a few minutes of continued kissing, Dean pulled back.

“I love you,” he whispered. Castiel’s expression softened. 

“I love you, too,” he said back, his eyes darting around the freckles that dusted Dean’s cheeks. 

“And you know you can talk to me. About anything,” Dean added on. Castiel nodded, a little ashamed of how he’d handled this year’s anniversary. That was probably the worst one since the very first. 

“Yeah,” Castiel affirmed Dean, “that reminds me...Mary told me that you didn’t say hi to her on your way in?” Castiel teased. Dean playfully groaned and rested his forehead on Cas' chest. “All I’m saying is...that’s kinda rud-” Castiel was cut off when Dean attacked his sides. Through the laughter, he begged Dean to stop. After a couple more seconds, Dean relented. Castiel caught his breath and Dean kissed him once more. They laid there a tangled mess on Dean’s bed, not speaking, not moving.

Finally, Castiel sat up and grabbed his phone. 

“I should head back,” he said, showing Dean the time. They stood up and Dean followed Castiel up the stairs, grabbing his boyfriend’s ass briefly on the ascension. Castiel whipped his head to face Dean and smirked.

“Goodbye, Mary,” Castiel called out.

“You’re not staying for dinner? It’ll be ready in just a few minutes,” she asked. 

“Thank you, but no. Naomi wants me back by 6:30,” he explained. 

“Oh, well, have a safe trip home. Let one of us know when you make it.”

“Will do,” he agreed. Before he could open the door, Dean pulled him in for one last kiss. They were both smiling as the door shut between them.

The smile didn’t leave Dean’s face as he made his way to the kitchen. Mary noticed her eldest son was in a much better mood. She was happy for Dean. 

Castiel was good for him. 

They were good for each other. 


	19. It's My Party

A few months passed with only some minor scuffles with Naomi. Castiel hadn’t gotten any privileges taken away in those few months (but he might’ve gotten confined to the house for a night or two). That wouldn’t get Cas' spirits down, though. It was finally October and Halloween was quickly approaching. 

Halloween was Castiel’s favorite holiday. There were no family obligations, there was free candy everywhere, and you could dress up as literally anything you wanted. It was especially great this year because it fell on a Friday night, and as per usual, Naomi was out of town until Sunday morning. For the past few years, Balthazar had taken him to the best parties in their slice of Chicago. Cas was a bit wistful that he wouldn’t be back at his old stomping grounds for the holiday, but he had something planned to keep him from thinking about that. He was just finishing up a phone call with his old friend.

“You’re sure about this?” Castiel asked, nervously glancing at his bedroom door even though Naomi was still at work. 

_“I should be asking you that question, Cassie. I’m not really the one with anything to lose here,”_ Balthazar replied. Castiel was thrumming with excitement. Sure, there was the chance that things could go wrong and Naomi might possibly _murder_ him, but he figured it wouldn’t be the worst way to go. He was 17, a senior in high school, and ready to have some fun if it killed him. 

“So Naomi leaves Thursday evening...tomorrow,” Castiel restated for about the hundredth time that phone call. 

_“And I’ll be arriving Thursday night after she leaves, yes, we’ve gone over this a hundred times. Do you really think I’m that daft?”_ his friend inquired, pretending to be insulted. 

“Weelllllll,” Castiel joked, earning an indignant ‘hey’ from his friend. “No, I’m just excited. That’s all. I haven’t seen you since May.” 

_“It’ll be nice to see your ugly mug in the flesh again,”_ Balthazar teased. Now it was Castiel’s turn to let out an indignant ‘hey’. 

“You weren’t saying that five months ago,” Castiel reminded him.

_“Yeah, well, people change, Cassie.”_

“Oh, yeah, is that it?” he said through a laugh, “alright, I’ll text you tomorrow to confirm Naomi has left the building...and the state.”

_“Brilliant. See you tomorrow.”_

“See you tomorrow.”

Castiel hung up and he couldn’t possibly stop grinning. He hadn’t gotten to say those words to Balthazar in a long time. He was getting more and more eager about Friday by the minute. 

Just then, Cas received a message from Dean. 

_> >> Do I need to bring anything Friday? -Dean_

_< << Could you swing by the gas station and pick up some ice before you get here? -Cas_

_> >> Of course -Dean_

Cas smiled. This was going to be exactly like what he’d seen in movies. His parents were out of town, and he was about to throw an amazing party. He asked Ash to invite the usual guest list for his own parties. He told Cas that he was glad to not have to host for once. 

The next day, Castiel practically ran out of the school building after the final bell rang. He hadn’t paid attention to a single word any of his teachers had said all day. He was too busy playing out his mastermind plan in his head. He didn’t know how he was going to survive tomorrow. Balthazar was arriving tonight, his favorite holiday was tomorrow, and he was hosting the party of the year. It was shaping up to be one of the best days of his life. 

He parked his car in the driveway and strode up to the front door. He took his shoes off in the entryway and headed towards the stairs. Before he could make it, his father stopped him. 

“How was school today?” Bartholomew asked from the living room. Castiel halted with his foot on the first step of the stairs. 

“Um. Fine?” he replied. His father hadn’t asked him that question since he was in middle school. 

“That’s good. Any big plans for this weekend?” he asked further, absently scrolling through the tablet in his hands. Castiel swallowed thickly. He could feel beads of cold sweat start to prickle at his hairline. 

“Uh, no?” he answered with a slight laugh. “Why would I?” He pressed the nail of this thumb harshly into the flesh of his index finger, trying desperately not to show his nervousness on his face. 

“Well, it’s Halloween. And I know how much you enjoy this holiday,” his father said, slightly suspicious of his son’s response. He finally looked up from the screen he was holding and studied the teenager for a moment. 

“Oh, yeah,” Castiel said, ever so smoothly. “I don’t know. I think this year is gonna be pretty low-key,” he added, trying to play it off. 

“Mhmm,” Bartholomew hummed, “Alright. Well, you know that Naomi is going out of town...I just don’t want you to take too much of an advantage of that,” he said, his gaze returning to the tablet. 

“I thought you were going with her,” Castiel said, his heart beating faster as he imagined his entire plan crumbling around him. Was his father not going out of town as well? Cas could’ve sworn his father said something about a trip. Those beads of sweat were threatening to fall any second. 

“I am,” Bartholomew said. Castiel slowly let out a breath, his brow remaining dry for the time being. He didn’t know what he would’ve done if his father had planned to be home all weekend. “You’re not planning on throwing a party while we’re out of town, are you?” Bartholomew joked. Castiel laughed a bit nervously. 

“Oh yeah, dad. Totally. An absolute rager,” he replied, hoping his sarcasm would help him through this conversation. His father laughed.

“Just don’t burn the house down,” he said, the small smirk on his face undercutting the warning. Castiel agreed not to, and took his leave towards his room. He examined his finger, a deep crescent-shaped groove staring back at him. He took another deep breath and sent up a silent thank you to whomever might be watching over him. 

He pulled out his calculus book and half heartedly went through the problems he was assigned. After about an hour, he finished the last one and shoved his book off of his bed. He took his phone off the charger and opened up his laptop. 

To his surprise, he had a text from Charlie. 

_> >> Have you seen ‘Abducted in Plain Sight’? -Charlie_

_< << Uh...no -Cas_

_> >> omg it’s wild. You have to watch it -Charlie_

_< << Is it on Netflix? -Cas_

_> >>Yeah. Live-text me your experience!! -Charlie_

Castiel rolled his eyes. Nonetheless, he pulled up Netflix on his computer and searched for her suggestion. 

It was wild, indeed. So wild, that he completely forgot to keep an eye on Naomi. As soon as he remembered, he shut his laptop and jumped out of bed. When he opened his bedroom door, he saw two suitcases right outside of Naomi and Bartholomew’s bedroom. He nodded to himself. Things seemed to be going according to plan. 

Naomi came out of the room with a toiletries bag and spotted her step-son. 

“Oh, Castiel, could you take these downstairs?” she asked, more as a command than a question, but Castiel wasn’t going to be bothered tonight. He went over and grabbed the bags before lugging them down the stairs. 

He placed the bags by the front door and headed to the kitchen. He was going to wait until Balthazar got into town to eat dinner, but he thought looking around the kitchen would seem pretty inconspicuous. It was almost 7pm after all. 

He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and took it out. 

_> >> Everything going smoothly? -Balthazar_

_< << Yep. Their bags are packed and they’re set to leave any minute -Cas_

Just then, Naomi called for him from the entryway. He slipped his phone back in his pocket and headed towards her. 

“Alright, your father and I are catching the redeye out to New York city. I still can’t believe we didn’t leave this morning, but what’s done is done. You’re still expected to follow house rules and be back by your curfew if you go out. We’re putting a lot of trust in you with this. Your father just barely talked me out of calling Michael to come spend the weekend with you,” she said. Castiel’s eyebrows shot up. He hadn’t known that. He sent out a silent thank-you to his father.

“Noted,” he replied with a tight smile. She kept eye contact for another moment before calling out for Bartholomew. He came down the stairs and put his shoes on. 

“Goodbye Castiel, don’t have too much fun this weekend,” Bartholomew said. Cas caught the glare Naomi leveled at her husband. 

“I won’t, dad. See you guys later.” 

With that, they exited the house and Castiel’s plan was set in motion. 

_< << They just pulled out of the driveway. Where are you? -Cas_

_> >> Passing through Kansas City -Balthazar_

_< << Kansas City, Missouri? Or Kansas City, Kansas? -Cas_

_> >> Does it matter? -Balthazar_

_< << I guess not. See you soon! -Cas_

Cas' smile was almost too wide to contain. He couldn’t believe he was actually going to do this. Balthazar was about 40 minutes out, his dad and Naomi were gone for the _entire_ weekend, and he was about to throw his first ever, real-life party. It was going to be the best weekend of his life. 

True to the estimate, Balthazar arrived about 40 minutes later and parked his car down by the park like Castiel had instructed him. When they met on the basketball court, Cas practically tackled Balthazar in a bear hug. 

“Woah, hello there, Cassie,” Balthazar said in greeting through a laugh. He squeezed tight for a few long moments before letting go. 

“How was the drive?” Castiel asked, barely stopping himself from tacking on a million more questions. 

“It was fine, nothing too exciting. Well, there was one thing,” Balthazar replied as he grabbed a duffle bag out of the back seat. 

As Balthazar told Cas about his journey (that may have involved briefly watching a high-speed chase on the outskirts of Chicago), they walked towards the backside of Cas' house. When they approached the back patio, Balthazar let out a short whistle. 

“Got enough square feet for the three of you?” he joked. Castiel just smiled and led them through the back door. He wanted to give a tour of the whole house, so they started in the basement and ended with Castiel’s bedroom. 

“Cassie, your bedroom is like the size of my flat. And I have to share it with my father,” Balthazar said, his eyes darting around the room and up at the lofted ceilings. 

“I guess Naomi likes her space,” Cas said in explanation, a slight shrug in his shoulders. 

“Eh, she can have her space, though. Right, Cassie?” the Brit said with a smile. Cas smiled back in response. Although, it wasn’t too much of a smile. 

“How about we grab something to eat? I’m starving,” Balthazar said, picking up on the discomfort Cas was feeling after he had brought up Naomi. Cas nodded, and they went out in search of food. 

When they arrived back at the house, it was nearly eleven and Castiel needed to get some sleep if he was going to have to survive an entire day of school before the party. Balthazar, having been accustomed to his new college schedule, asked Castiel to play a little hooky. 

“Oh, so the school can call my dad or Naomi and then they send Michael out here to find out why I didn’t go to school? I don’t think so. Nothing is getting in the way of my party tomorrow night,” Balthazar put up his hands in defeat and let Castiel lead them up the stairs. 

While Castiel brushed his teeth in the bathroom, Balthazar changed into pajamas, and climbed into bed. When Cas was finished with his nightly routine, he returned to the main part of his room and faltered a bit. 

“Are we sharing the bed?” he asked. Balthazar seemed to be a bit caught off-guard at the question. 

“Erm, I just sort of assumed…”

“Yeah, no, it’s fine...it’s…” Castiel trailed off and ran his fingers through his hair. The boys _had_ shared a bed on many occasions...but those occasions were a bit different. Castiel awkwardly crawled under the covers, and made sure to stay as close to the edge as possible. Just as he was plugging his phone in, he received a text. 

_> >> Is everything going according to plan? -Dean_

_< << Yes! My dad and Naomi left around 7, Balthazar arrived around 8, and I was just heading to bed -Cas_

He left out the part where he wasn’t in bed alone. It’s not like he was doing anything wrong, but he still _felt_ like he was. He didn’t know how Dean would react to him sharing a bed with Balthazar, so he just decided what Dean didn’t know wasn’t going to kill him. 

_> >> Sounds awesome. See you tomorrow. Goodnight, I love you -Dean_

_< << Goodnight, I love you, too -Cas_

With a smile, Castiel set his alarm for the next morning and put his phone on the ledge behind his bed. 

“Were those from Dean?” Balthazar asked in the darkness. 

“Yeah. How could you tell?” Castiel answered. 

“You’ve got that chuffed look on your face.”

“Chuffed? Your british is showing,” Cas teased. 

“Aw, piss off, ya wanker,” Balthazar replied. They both laughed and Castiel felt a bit less awkward about sharing a bed with Balthazar. 

⚣

The next morning, Castiel practically shot out of bed when his alarm went off. Usually, he’d groan and rotate through social media on his phone, but today, he had extra energy. 

He carefully peeled back the covers and tip-toed out of the room so as not to wake Balthazar. Castiel had had a dream about Reese’s Puffs last night, so he was more than ready to have a bowl. As he wandered into the kitchen, he reviewed his plan for the day. He had told Balthazar to just stay put and not draw any attention to himself. Castiel figured he’d probably sleep until noon, anyway. Cas just needed to make it through school; after that, he was going to stop by the store to get snacks and other party paraphernalia. Ash was bringing the booze, and Dean was bringing the ice. He smiled to himself as he dug into his breakfast. 

School went by easily enough. Castiel swore he could feel a bit of thrumming electricity in the air, but that might’ve just been him. Still, he did overhear people talking about his party. That made everything feel that much more tangible. 

When the final bell rang, he flew out the front doors and into his car. He really had to watch his speed; he would not be getting pulled over today. Once he’d grabbed the necessary party items, he headed back to his house. He parked his car in his usual spot in the driveway and carried the bags in. He was surprised to find both Balthazar and Dean together in the kitchen. 

“Oh! Hello to both of you,” Castiel said as he placed the bags on the kitchen floor. Dean held out an arm, and Cas went into it, muscle memory carrying him through the mild surprise. Cas gave Dean a quick peck on the cheek before sorting through his groceries. 

Sensing his boyfriend’s confusion, Dean spoke up. 

“I had Balthazar’s number from that party a while ago. I asked if he’d let me into the house. Didn’t want the ice to melt,” he explained. Cas nodded in understanding and looked around. 

“Where’d you put it?” Cas asked, referencing the ice. Balthazar gave a short laugh. Cas leveled a glare at him and looked toward his boyfriend for an answer. 

“It’s in the garage,” he replied. 

“Great. Hey Balthazar, could you go grab the speaker from my room? I think I left it on the sink in the bathroom,” Castiel asked as he pulled his purchases out of the bags.

Balthazar hopped off the counter where he was perched and went off to complete the task. 

“How was your day?” Cas asked. Dean came around from the kitchen table and started to lay down the spider web printed plastic cover on the counter. 

“It was alright,” he said noncommittally, putting more focus into his task than was probably necessary.

“You?” Dean asked back, grabbing more decorations out of the bags Castiel had brought in. 

“I’ve been pretty preoccupied thinking about tonight,” Cas admitted, “I couldn’t tell you a single thing any of the teachers said today.”

Dean smiled and continued his task. Castiel could sense something wasn’t quite right about his boyfriend, but he was sure Dean would bring it up on his own if it was something major. 

The pair continued putting up the decorations. After a few moments, Balthazar returned with Cas' speaker in hand. 

“Thanks,” Cas said, placing it on the kitchen counter. Dean looked up from his task of pouring candy into a decorative bowl. 

“No problem. Say, Cassie, I don’t see many rubbish bins out,” Balthazar said apprehensively, looking around the first floor of the house. 

“Uhh…” Cas looked around himself and only saw the one they kept next to the pantry; and it wasn’t exactly the biggest container. “Do you think we’ll need many?”

“Oh, Cassie…” he pitied. He nodded his head in affirmation. Castiel opened the pantry and pulled out the trash bags. 

“We can just....hang these from some door handles,” Cas suggested. Balthazar smiled, grabbed a few bags, and dutifully went about hanging them up. Once he stepped out of the room, Castiel smacked his hand against his forehead. The sound made Dean look up from his task. The boys in the kitchen made eye contact and Dean raised one eyebrow. 

“I can’t believe I overlooked _trash cans_ ,” Castiel explained in a groan. Dean cracked a small smile and abandoned his task to wrap his boyfriend in a hug. Cas laughed pitifully into Dean’s shoulder. 

“It’s fine, you covered it,” Dean reminded Castiel. The shorter boy repositioned his arms so they were around Dean’s neck. He looked up and smiled. Cas leaned in and kissed Dean, thanking him for the reassurance. The taller boy seemed to hesitate slightly, but melted into the kiss after only a moment. He moved one hand steadily down from Cas’ lower back to his ass. They both smiled into the kiss. 

They were interrupted by a scoff of disgust.

“Oh, so I leave to do the grunt work while you two get to snog in the kitchen?” Balthazar complained. If Castiel had looked at Dean instead of burying his face into his shoulder, he would’ve noticed the clench in Dean’s jaw. Before Dean could say anything, Castiel pulled away and apologized to his friend. A moment later, the doorbell rang and Balthazar made a show of excusing himself so the “couple could get back to snogging without interruption”. The couple had both rolled their eyes, Castiel with more affection than Dean. 

“Some bloke in a shirt with the sleeves cut off is here. He’s got quite the selection of alcohol,” Balthazar yelled from the entryway.

“That’s Ash,” Castiel said, kissing Dean chastely once more before leaving the room excitedly to show Ash where to set up, the reality that this party was actually happening setting in.

⚣

They were a couple hours into the party, and there was still a steady stream of teenagers flowing into the house. Castiel and Ash had given clear instructions about where to park and how to get to Castiel’s house. Naomi wasn’t around, but Castiel was still apprehensive that she was in cahoots with the neighbors to keep an eye on her step-son. 

The hot-spots of the party were the kitchen (where the alcohol was flowing freely) and the basement (where there was a ping-pong table). There was a small group of kids in the living room on the main floor dancing and playing drinking games. Castiel knew there was going to be a portion of party-goers that just wanted to hook up, so he took extra precautions protecting his parents’ room from being defiled. Don’t get him wrong - he thought it would be hilarious to have wholly unsupervised, horny teenagers getting it on where Naomi slept, but he wasn’t about to risk getting caught because of a questionable stain or a misplaced item. 

So, God help him, he left his own bedroom and the small, open den on the top floor accessible for anyone to use. He was definitely going to have to burn his bedsheets tomorrow, but that was a problem for future-Cas. 

Currently, Castiel was on the main floor in the kitchen, helping Ash play bar-tender. He hadn’t been able to mix drinks since he left Chicago. He was a little rusty at first, but he got warmed up and he was having a great time. Dean had been Castiel’s first customer, but had since wandered off to enjoy himself at the party. 

Balthazar had kept himself around the bar. A self-proclaimed heavy-weight, Balthazar needed a few more drinks to ‘feel something’ than his peers. Castiel and Balthazar usually had a pre-party tradition before they went out, but Castiel had been a bit too busy with Dean to complete it before the guests had started pouring in. Since then, Cas had been too busy playing host and putting out fires to pay too much attention to the Brit. Balthazar was a little disappointed, but understood the duties of a host. Afterall, at his own graduation party, he hadn’t even been able to talk to Castiel until the party was over and a majority of the guests had left. 

“C’mon, Cassie! We haven’t gotten to dance yet and I’m already 5 shots in! That’s a bloody crime,” Balthazar whined. Castiel just smiled and shook his head. He was in the middle of making his signature drink for the night, the ‘Morgue-A-Rita’. 

“We’ll do it later,” Castiel appeased weakly, handing the completed drinks to Sharkboy and Lavagirl. Balthazar, sporting a ‘slutty vampire’ costume, sighed dramatically.

“You already blew off our pre-party to snog with that bloke,” he complained. Castiel leveled him a glare and Balthazar raised his hands in mock-surrender. He took one more shot and went to dance with the group in the living room. Castiel rolled his eyes and continued mixing drinks. 

Once the rush of guests had been served, Castiel left Ash alone to tend the ‘bar’. He made a lap around the house, feeling a sense of pride at his guests having a good time. He also laughed at all the costumes his peers showed up in. There were some couples-costumes and quite a few ‘slutty’ getups, but Castiel enjoyed them all the same. He loved the freedom of Halloween. He, himself had dressed up as a doctor after hearing about Dean’s little guilty pleasure. He spiced it up a bit by wearing booty-shorts instead of scrubs and forgoing a shirt altogether. Dean’s eyes had lit up brighter than Castiel had ever seen them when he showed him his costume before the party had officially started. The host had thought he was going to have to cancel the party with the way Dean was looking at him. 

After a quick makeout session (and possibly a hickey or two on Cas’ neck) in the host’s room, the boys decided to go downstairs and start the party with a couple of shots. 

But that was a couple hours ago. Currently, Castiel was making his way downstairs, drink in hand. He’d snuck a few shots in every now and again while he was behind the bar with Ash. He was building up a solid buzz. When he got to the bottom step, he realized how many people were down here. In the main room, there was an exciting game of beer pong being played that quite a few people were invested in. Some other kids were crowding around the coffee table playing King’s Cup, and a smaller group was in the small den in the back with a spare bedroom playing 7 Minutes in Heaven. Castiel rolled his eyes at the juvenile game they were playing, but laughed all the same. Who was he to get in the way of their fun?

Until, that is, he spotted a certain cowboy sitting in the circle. Castiel stopped in his tracks and stared, not believing his eyes. There his boyfriend was, a drink in his hand, laughing and flirting with the other teenagers sitting in the circle. A timer went off on one of their phones and two people exited the bedroom looking a bit...ruffled. The circle cheered, and the two kids - matching blushes on their cheeks - returned to their seats.

A brunette, Amara if he remembered correctly, leaned in and spun the twister arrow they had commandeered instead of using a bottle. She was a junior Cas had seen in the hallways. He never had a class with her, but he had seen her staring at Dean on more than one occasion. 

To the host’s horror, the arrow stopped on his boyfriend. Castiel was confused and a little hurt. He would’ve been fine if Dean had just been observing, but he was actually _participating_? 

Castiel felt glued to the floor as Amara stood up and grabbed Dean’s hand to lead him to the private room for seven whole, unsupervised, pitch-black, steamy minutes. He couldn’t tear his eyes away if he tried. Right before he was through the threshold of the bedroom, Dean had caught Castiel’s eye. A multitude of emotions, ranging from confusion to guilt, passed through the cowboy before his line of sight was cut off. Suddenly, Castiel regained the power to use his legs and they carried him upstairs faster than he could even process what he’d seen. 

Castiel was mad. No, he was downright _pissed_. Was his boyfriend actually playing a game in which the entire purpose was to make out and do other sexual acts uninterrupted for seven minutes while your peers gossiped about you? 

One of the reasons Castiel let their pre-party make out session go a little long was to purposely skip his and Balthazar’s tradition, because it was a little too intimate for someone in a committed relationship to do. It didn’t cross any lines, but Castiel couldn’t do it with a clear conscience. 

In an act of retaliation, Cas detoured into the kitchen to take a couple shots before finding his british vampire dancing on the main floor. Muscle memory took over as he threw his arms around Balthazar’s neck, moving his hips in time with the music.

Balthazar, taken by surprise but capitalizing on the opportunity, placed his hands on Castiel’s waist. The host didn’t reprimand his old friend when his hands trailed a little lower. After a couple minutes, Castiel turned around and started basically grinding on Balthazar. The vampire had no complaints, his hands reaching out to touch the skin he hadn’t gotten to touch in months. In true, vampire-character, Balthazar leaned down to nuzzle at Cas' neck as the pair danced together. 

Before they could get too carried away, Castiel was being tugged off of his friend. He heard a loud noise, and turned around to see real blood mixing with the fake blood on Balthazar’s face. The vampire and the cowboy lunged at each other, starting an all-out fight. The dancers took notice and circled around the brawlers, loving the show they were getting. 

Castiel, of course, was _not_ loving it. He yelled at the two to stop, and tried to place himself between them. That was a mistake, because before he could raise his arms to defend himself, he caught the business end of a left-hook right in the eye. 


	20. And I'll Cry If I Want To

“Did you just fucking punch my boyfriend?” Dean yelled. Balthazar’s eyes went wide with panic. He spun around to face the cowboy.

“That was supposed to be _you_ , you prick,” he said, harshly poking his finger into Dean’s chest to drive his point home. Dean crowded against the vampire and took on a serious tone.

“Poke me again, I fucking dare you,” he taunted. Castiel couldn’t believe his eyes. He had just been punched in the face and that _still_ wasn’t enough to get them to stop fighting? Cas took a sharp inhale through his nostrils.

“Are you _fucking_ kidding me?” he shouted, leaving the two idiots in favor of getting some fresh air in the backyard. Both boys stared after Castiel, watching him exit the back door onto the patio. 

“I’m going to go and talk to him,” Balthazar said. Dean grabbed his shoulder in an effort to stop him.

“Like hell you are. You just punched him, you asshole,” Dean reminded him. 

“It was supposed to be you, you fucking twit!” he spat right back. 

Before either boy could throw another punch, Charlie grabbed Dean and dragged him out of the living room. 

Once they had kicked a couple out of the office on the main floor, Charlie rounded on Dean. 

“Dean Winchester what the hell was that?” she started. Dean kicked the couch on the far wall before sitting on it and putting his head in his hands. He ran his fingers through his short hair and looked up at his friend, fire in his eyes.

“That fucking asshole was all over Cas!”

“They were _dancing_!” Charlie argued right back. “It’s a halloween party, Dean! Castiel has been waiting to let loose since he moved here, and the moment he starts to have fun, you punch his best friend? Where the hell did this come from?” Dean shook the question and started pacing the room.

“He’s probably out there right now, talking to Cas, tr-”

“Who gives a shit Dean?!” Charlie interrupted. “He accidentally punched his best friend in the face! He’s probably apologizing,” she tried to reason. “I have literally never seen you like this, and I’ve been by your side through some pretty serious shit. So what gives?” 

They had a long stare-down. Charlie’s arms crossed in front of her, Dean’s hands in fists by his sides. A whole conversation was had without words between the two. Eventually, Dean un-balled his fists and took a seat on the couch. 

“I-I don’t know,” he said. Charlie shook her head. 

“You’re going to have to do better than that,” she said. Dean looked up at her and sighed. He wasn’t in the mood to be vulnerable tonight. He sighed and collected himself. 

“He slept in the same bed as Balthazar last night,” Dean said. Charlie made a face displaying confusion mixed with humor. 

“And? What does that have to do with the price of tea in China?” she replied. It was Dean’s turn to be confused. 

“What?”

“I don’t know, it’s something my dad says,” she explained, “this isn’t about me or my dad’s weird idioms. Why do you care that he and Balthazar shared a bed?”

“Because they used to sleep together!” Dean explained, annoyed that Charlie wasn’t understanding him. 

“ _And?_ ” Charlie repeated, “What? Do you think they fucked last night?”

“What? No!” Dean denied, horrified at the mere suggestion. 

“Then why do you care?” Charlie asked. Dean had been expecting support from Charlie. A hype man, someone to agree with him and back up his theories. He had not expected this. Then again, Charlie rarely told him what he _wanted_ to hear. 

“Because he was so smug when he told me,” Dean explained.

“Cas?”

“Balthazar,” Dean corrected, disappointed that Charlie completely dropped that one. “I came by early to drop off the ice and he let me in. While we were waiting for Cas to get there, he bragged about it.”

Charlie seemed to think about that one. 

“So, what, did they make out or something?”

“They fucking better not have,” Dean said, scratching at the back of his neck. 

“I’m still not understanding why you’re all up in arms about this,” Charlie said.

“Because!” Dean shouted, standing up abruptly, “They have a _history_. They shared a _bed_ last night. They were _grinding_ ten minutes ago!”

“So you’re jealous?”

“I’m scared!” Dean admitted. Slowly sinking back down on the couch. Charlie was shocked by the admission. The big, bad, Dean Winchester had never admitted he was scared before. “I’m scared this is another Lisa.”

⚣

Castiel took a seat on one of the lounge chairs on the back patio. He was fuming. Tonight was supposed to be his big night of fun. He was supposed to get drunk, spend time with his old friend, and possibly get laid by his boyfriend. He wasn’t supposed to catch his boyfriend being led into a bedroom by a girl, get in the middle of a fist fight between his best friend and his boyfriend, or get punched in the fucking face.

He closed his eyes and clenched his jaw hard when he heard the backdoor open. He didn’t know which idiot had come out to talk to him, but he wasn’t in the mood to deal with either of them. 

“I brought you this,” a british voice cut through the silence. Castiel was handed an ice pack wrapped in a dishcloth. He accepted it without a word. He didn’t even glance at his friend, too upset to look at him. 

Balthazar took a seat on the chair next to Cas. He sat there for a while before he spoke up. 

“Cassie, I’m sorry,” he started, reaching out to touch his friend. Cas recoiled and Balthazar took that as the ‘keep off’ message it was. They sat in silence for a while longer, Castiel resolved to remain silent. 

“Cassie, you know you’re my best mate,” Balthazar started again. Castiel rolled his eyes at the nickname he never liked in the first place. “Truth is...I’m worried about you. Dean, he,” Castiel clenched his jaw at his boyfriend’s name. He didn’t want to talk about it, and he certainly didn’t want to hear it from Balthazar. “I’m not so sure about him, mate.” 

Castiel looked up at that. His eyes were stony...well, the eye that wasn’t currently being iced, and his expression was unreadable passed ‘annoyed’. 

“What do you mean by that?” Castiel asked, breaking his vow to remain silent. Balthazar danced around the right phrasing. 

“Well, er...Cassie,” Balthazar laughed a little bit, “he’s not exactly your type.”

“Not my type?”

“He...I’m just trying to say...are you sure he’s the one you want to be with? For Christ’s sake, he punched me!”

“So did you!” Castiel shouted, surprising Balthazar. 

“That was an _accident_ , that was _meant_ for De-”

“My boyfriend,” Castiel cut him off, “You meant to punch my boyfriend. In the face. At my party,” Castiel continued, getting out of his chair and walking to the far end of the patio. He didn’t want to start this conversation in the first place. 

“You know what?” Balthazar said, starting to lose his temper, “if you’re so adamant that he’s your boyfriend, then why were you _grinding on_ me like that?” Castiel took a deep breath and repositioned his ice pack. He didn’t answer. 

“Huh? There must be a reason that you came up and danced with me. Trouble in paradise? Maybe some incompatibility?” Balthazar taunted. 

“What are you trying to say?”

“I’ve already said it! He’s not the one for you.”

“What, and _you_ are?” Castiel asked back, turning around sharply.

“I didn’t say that!”

“But did you want to?” When Balthazar didn’t answer, Castiel went on, “Who the _fuck_ do you think you are to even have a say in who I date?” 

“Last I checked, I was your best fucking friend, Castiel! Those people usually have some sway in this sort of thing. _He’s_ the one that barrelled into the living room and started throwing punches.”

“So, what? Is he too _dangerous_ for me?” Castiel laughed bitterly. “You know, I have half a mind to return your favor,” he said, referencing his rapidly blackening eye. He turned towards the house and went back inside, leaving his ‘best friend’ out in the cold. 

⚣

Dean exited the office after his conversation with Charlie. As he walked back into the living room, he saw Castiel come back into the house and up to Ash, presumably to get another drink.

“Cas,” Dean called out, following his boyfriend into the kitchen. Because Castiel wasn’t facing Dean, the cowboy didn’t see him roll his eyes. He received his drink from Ash and quickly headed towards the stairs. 

Dean paused. Surely, Cas had heard him. He quickly jumped into action, following Castiel upstairs. 

He caught up with him at the top and grabbed his arm. Castiel rounded on him harshly, almost spilling his drink. 

“Go away!” 

“Cas…”

“I’m seriously not in the mood. I _didn’t_ want to talk to Balthazar, and I _don’t_ want to talk to you,” Castiel said, taking a long sip of his drink. 

“So you talked to him but you won’t talk to me?” Dean pressed, feeling indignant. 

“Yes, I talked to him, because he cornered me on the patio. It didn’t go well,” Castiel explained curtly. Dean couldn’t help the small, satisfied smile that pulled at the corners of his mouth at the news of Balthazar’s failure.

Castiel rapped a few times on his bedroom door. 

“If you’re in here, put your clothes on and get out!” Castiel ordered. 

“Get your own room, man,” a boy replied. 

“This _is_ my room. Get out,” Cas repeated forcefully. When he didn’t hear any signs of the couple making an effort to leave, he barged in. 

“Hey!” Dean heard the boy say.

“Get outta here,” a girl’s voice said. 

“This is my room, and you’ll be the ones leaving. Now.” 

Dean heard some shuffling, then two teenagers sloppily dressed in mismatched clothing came scurrying out. Dean waited a moment, but then followed his boyfriend into the room. 

He was confused when he didn’t see Castiel right away. His confusion didn’t last long, as he heard the toilet flush. Castiel opened the bathroom door, and sighed deeply when he saw his boyfriend standing there. That didn’t bode well for Dean. The cowboy tracked his boyfriend as he made his way over to his bed. With a dramatic flop, Castiel went face-first into his pillows. 

“Cas, baby,” Dean started. 

“Don’t,” Cas cut off, muffled slightly. Dean waited for a few moments, expecting Castiel to go on. He weighed in his mind the pros and cons of talking to Cas right now. On the one hand, he really wanted to explain himself. He had no idea what Cas and Balthazar talked about on the patio, and he needed to make sure his boyfriend wasn’t seriously angry with him. On the other hand, Cas had said that he felt cornered by Balthazar, and that their conversation didn’t go well. Dean decided that patience was probably the best course of action at the moment.

Castiel had his face buried in the pillow, obviously not having anything more to say. Before he left, Dean spoke up again. 

“If you’re going to bed, at least don’t fall asleep in your costume,” Dean said, surprising Castiel. He picked his head up from the pillow and stared at Dean. After a moment, he pushed himself off the bed and walked up to his boyfriend.

“Why were you dancing with him like that?” Dean asked quietly, his last ditch effort to have any sort of resolution tonight. Castiel clenched his jaw. 

“Why did you go in that bedroom with Amara?” Castiel shot back. He smirked to himself, satisfied with his comeback. He looked back to his bed and thought to himself that it actually seemed like a very nice place to be. He’d had quite a bit of alcohol and he’d been _punched in the face_ , so he thought he’d quit on this day while he still could. 

His mind made up, he pulled off his lab coat, tossing it vaguely in the direction of his hamper. He stared Dean down, daring him to say something else. Dean just stared back at him, trying to figure out what it was Cas was doing. 

The boots came off next; those he just tossed to the side. Finally, and ever-so-slowly, he removed the booty shorts, revealing to Dean that Cas had skipped putting on underwear. 

Castiel raised a single eyebrow and turned around, heading back to bed without another look towards his boyfriend. 

“Turn the light off on your way out?” Castiel asked, burying his face back into his pillow, hoping that nobody got _too_ frisky on his bed. 

Dean, taking the very heavy hint Castiel was dropping, turned around and shut the lights off on his way out of Castiel’s room. 

“I love you,” he threw out before exiting completely. 

Castiel laid there in the dark, and took a long, deep breath.

“Love you, too,” he said weakly to the closed door. 

Castiel hadn’t cried on Halloween since he was eight and his older brother had stolen his candy at the end of the night. Every other year, this day had been one of the best for Castiel. Before the party, he had believed this one would top them all. He had an amazingly hot boyfriend to ogle and dance with, his best friend was visiting from eight hours away, and he was hosting his very own costume party for the first time in his life. 

As he lay in bed in the dark, his alcoholic buzz faded quickly, and all of his failures that night came to the very front of his mind. The first tear trickled out as he lived through Dean going into that bedroom with Amara over and over. He couldn’t get it out of his mind. With the floodgates opened, he let himself cry. He supposed he was due for a good emotional release, anyway. Castiel shoved his face into his pillow and just let it out. 

Once he felt like his tear ducts had been emptied, he flipped his pillow over and fell asleep. 

⚣

The next morning, Castiel awoke to the sound of a vacuum cleaner running. At first, he really didn’t think much of it. That is, until he tried to rub his eyes and he jumped at the sensitivity of his right eye. Slowly, he remembered about his party last night. The party that someone was using the vacuum to clean up. Had Naomi come back early? What kind of mess did his guests leave? How could he be so stupid, locking himself in his room like that while teenagers partied in his house? 

He jumped out of bed and cursed himself for falling asleep naked. He hastily pulled out a pair of sweatpants and rushed out to the living room. From the landing halfway down the stairs, he could see into the living room. He saw the vacuum passing over the carpet, but he couldn’t make out who was using it. As he descended the last few steps, he worked on his excuses.

Luckily, he didn’t need them. 

“Charlie?” he yelled over the whirr of the vacuum. The redhead looked up as Castiel came into her line of vision. She turned off the machine and smiled at her friend.

“Morning Cas! I’m sorry if I woke you,” she greeted. Castiel took a look around the house. It was...spotless. There was absolutely no trace that anyone had been in the house last night. 

“Woah, Charlie...did you...did you do all of this?” he asked. 

“I felt bad about what happened last night. And I knew you were planning on having Dean and your friend help you clean up,” she explained, “I just...didn’t want to leave you high and dry,” Castiel nodded and looked around. 

“I assume Dean went home...have you seen Balthazar?” Castiel asked. Charlie shook her head. 

“He might be downstairs,” she suggested, “I haven’t even started down there.”

Cas looked at her and nodded. “Thank you for cleaning up after those animals,” he said. Charlie smiled and seemed to give him a once-over. 

“I’m just sayin,” Charlie started, “if I was straight and Dean was out of the picture…” she trailed off. Castiel blushed and looked down at himself. He suddenly felt a little self-conscious about being just in sweatpants. Charlie seemed to snap out of it. “Sorry! Totally not appropriate,” she amended. Castiel just laughed. He checked his pockets for his phone, but realized he’d left it upstairs. 

“I’m gonna go grab my phone. If you don’t have any plans, would you want to help me tackle the basement?” Castiel asked hopefully.

“Of course!” Charlie said, starting up the vacuum to finish the main floor. 

Castiel bounded up the stairs and back to his room. As he passed his dad and Naomi’s room, he checked to make sure it hadn’t been disturbed. When he was satisfied that no one had entered the room, he went to retrieve his phone. 

With his device in hand, Castiel paused to put on a shirt. Once he did that, he made his way down to the basement. As he made his descent, he checked his phone for messages. He had a few snapchats from some of the party-goers and a text from Dean that he wasn’t in the mood to read just yet. He pocketed his phone and headed to the basement to start cleaning.

Before he picked anything up, he searched the basement for his friend. He wasn’t on either of the couches in the living area, which Castiel understood. They were _not_ built for sleeping on. He made his way to the bedroom situated off the den. He knocked lightly and opened the door to find that nobody was inside. Confused, Castiel returned to the couches. 

“He’s...not here,” he told Charlie, nothing but confusion on his face. “He wasn’t supposed to leave until this afternoon. He was going to help me straighten out the house and then I was going to buy him lunch and we were going to hang out and talk and catch up and _then_ he was going to start the drive back to Chicago,” he rambled on. Castiel shook his head and pulled his phone out of his pocket. Charlie gave him a worried look as he pressed his phone against his ear. 

“Balthazar. Where did you go?” Castiel’s eyebrows stitched together. “What? Why?” Charlie observed as he put a hand on his hip and started pacing between the couch and the ping-pong table. “No I-” he stopped at the table and started absently gathering cups to be put in the trash. “I never said you had to-” Castiel rolled his eyes and gave an annoyed look to Charlie. “Yeah, whatever. Safe travels. Goodbye,” he hung up and tossed his phone harshly on the ping-pong table.

“He left,” he divulged to Charlie.

“Like back to Chicago?”

“Yeah!” Castiel said disbelievingly. “He’s already in fucking Springfield! Didn’t even say goodbye…” Castiel sighed. He shook his head and started cleaning up the basement. Charlie frowned, but picked up the cue and joined Castiel in the cleaning. Once they had finished, they gathered all the trash bags and piled them in the kitchen. From there, Castiel directed them to the dumpsters in the park. They heaved the bags inside and closed the lid soundly, feeling satisfied with their work. 

“You know, I could take you out to lunch,” Charlie offered, “we’ve never really gotten to hang out just us.” Castiel smiled at her.

“I’d like that very much.”

⚣

The pair were seated in a booth by the windows at a charming 24-hour diner, _Garth’s_. It was named after the rather...eccentric owner. Charlie relayed a story about a time a fight had almost broken out one night. Instead of kicking the teenagers out, Garth had taken out sock puppets and made them talk through their problems. Since then, the place had quite the reputation. Charlie had been shocked when Castiel told her that he’d never been there. She couldn’t believe he’d been in town for six months and he’d never been taken to eat there by any of them. They had really dropped the ball. 

After most of their lunch had been eaten, the conversation shifted from light and casual catch-up talk into we-should-probably-discuss-last-night talk. 

“Uhh...thanks. For helping me clean up this morning. That would’ve taken all day by myself,” Castiel said. Charlie just waved him off. 

“Don’t mention it,” she said, “on second thought, mention it as much as you want,” she added with a wink. Cas smiled and took another bite of his burger. “So what even happened?” she asked, wanting to hear his side of the story. Castiel rolled his eyes. 

“Boys are dumb,” he replied, invoking a laugh out of his lunch date. 

“Yeah, I’m quite aware of that,” she replied, leaning forward to steal a fry off of his plate. After a moment of being fake-offended at the theft, Castiel sighed. 

“I think Balthazar might’ve been a little jealous that I wasn’t spending all night focusing on him, and Dean was being an idiot,” Charlie nodded at her friend’s assessment. “I mean...how cliche? Starting a _fist-fight_ in the middle of the living room like that? Unbelievable!” he drained the last of his pop with a slurping sound from his straw. 

“Do you think maybe Dean was feeling the same way?” Charlie suggested. Castiel squinted his eyes at her.

“You think Dean was jealous?” he just laughed, “yeah, I’m not so sure about that. If he were jealous, he wouldn't have gone into that room with Amara,” without a drink to sip from, Castiel had no other option to distract himself than looking out the window. “He was a fucking idiot,” he mumbled, mostly to himself. With his eyes mostly unfocused on the outside world, he missed the puzzled look on Charlie’s face. He also missed her pulling out her phone and shooting off a text.

She wondered what Cas meant by that. What room did Dean go into? Why was he going into a room with Amara? Dean hadn’t told Charlie about anything to do with Amara. All Charlie knew was that Dean had come upstairs to find Castiel, and did so while the host was dancing with his friend. 

“I’m sorry, but can we leave? I kinda just want to be in my room,” Castiel expressed. Charlie nodded and they slid out of their seats to go pay at the register. 

With a promise that they would hang out more, Charlie dropped Castiel back off at his house. He waved as she drove off and headed up to his front door. After a quick sweep of the lower levels to make sure nothing was out of order, Castiel headed up to his bedroom to sulk in peace. 

He did not expect his boyfriend to be sitting on his bed. 

“What...how did you get in?” Cas asked in greeting. Dean looked up from his phone.

“Backdoor,” he replied simply, pocketing his phone. They just stared at each other for a long moment. 

“I’m sorry I punched Balthazar in the face,” Dean said bluntly, “and I’m sorry for leaving all the cleaning to you and him.” Castiel took a few steps forward. 

“Balthazar didn’t help me clean up. Charlie did. Balthazar left sometime last night,” Castiel informed him. Dean looked up at him, puzzled. 

“Oh,” Dean said intelligently, “he just...left?”

“Yeah, kinda like you did,” Cas shot back. And, ok...that was a fair shot. Dean thought for a moment before speaking again.

“I’m sorry, Cas. I sort of...overreacted,” Dean admitted. Cas nodded and went over to the side of his bed so he could plug his phone in. He neglected to do so last night, so it had died while he was at the diner with Charlie. 

“Were you jealous?” Castiel asked. Dean looked confused. 

“I mean...I guess a little bit, but could you blame me? I came upstairs and he had his hands all over you,” Castiel moved to stand with his hands on his hips in front of Dean, who was still sitting on the end of his bed. 

“So the first thing you did was punch him??” 

“He had his _mouth_ on your _neck_!” Dean all but shouted. Before Castiel could reply, Dean held out his hands and took on a more gentle tone. “But I shouldn’t have punched him,” Dean soothed. “I guess between your guys' history...and the drinking and the bedsharing and the dancing...I was feeling a little...jealous,” he admitted. Castiel sighed and took a seat next to Dean. He processed Dean’s confession. 

“Bedsharing?”

“Uhh,” Dean’s hand went to scratch at the back of his neck on its own accord, “yeah. He...Balthazar told me that you two shared a bed the night before the party. He sounded so smug and I just...I don’t know,” he trailed off. 

“Do you think something happened between me and Balthazar that night? Dean, all we did was sleep. I would never, ever do something like that while I was with you. You know that right?” Cas half-said, half-asked. He searched Dean’s face for understanding. 

“Yeah, it’s just uh...hard when someone’s already done that to you, ya know?” Dean said, specifically not looking at Cas. 

“What?” Cas asked, barely above a whisper. 

“It’s...it’s fine. Don’t worry about it,” Dean deflected. 

“What do you mean ‘don’t worry about it’, Dean?” Castiel asked, “Did someone cheat on you?” Dean let out a breath that couldn’t be called a laugh. 

“Really, Cas, we don’t have to do this now. I shouldn’t have even brought it up. It’s nothing.”

“It most certainly is not nothing. Give me some names, and I’ll crack a few skulls,” Castiel asserted, only half-joking. Dean smiled a bit, so if nothing else, the comment helped relax him. “And I wouldn’t mind talking about it now,” Castiel said in a more gentle tone, “that is, if you’re comfortable talking about it,” he added, not wanting to pressure Dean into revealing a sensitive topic before he was ready. Cas covered Dean’s hand with his own, and Dean flipped it over so they could interlock fingers. Dean looked at Cas and attempted a smile. He seemed to think it over in his head. 

“Uhh...well, you know how they say hindsight is 20/20? Yeah, I think regular sight shoulda caught this one but...I’m not the smartest so,” Dean started, standing up from the bed and walking towards the opposite wall. Castiel rolled his eyes at the self-deprecation, but decided to let Dean keep telling his story. 

“I was talking to this girl towards the end of my freshman year, Lisa Braeden. We were in that sorta-almost-dating range, but then she met this other guy and I guess they really hit it off, so she started going out with him. I was a little hurt, but I let it go. We weren’t _actually_ dating, so…” he trailed off, pacing the room. 

“Then, we get back to school after summer break, and like after a month, she starts talking to me again. She tells me that she and her boyfriend broke up and she wants ‘a friend’,” Dean continues, using air quotes on the last words. “So I’m like, yeah sure, and we catch up and start talking and hanging out and everything, and one night she was at my house and uhh...well we ended up making out. I sorta thought it was going to be a one-time thing...but it wasn’t. So I eventually asked her out officially, and she agreed.”

“Oh, Dean,” Castiel couldn’t help but say from his spot on his bed. Dean looked up and they shared a look. He half-shrugged before continuing with his story. 

“Yeah, so about a couple months in, I’d say, she starts talking to that guy again. I was a little annoyed, since I was the one she sort of emotionally unloaded on about him. But I thought she really hated him by the way she talked about him when we first reconnected. I didn’t feel like he was gonna be a threat or whatever,” Dean went on. Castiel nodded his head in understanding. 

“I asked her why she was talking to him again, and she said he reached out and she didn’t want to be rude. I wasn’t happy about it, but I guess I sort of let it happen. I mean...what else was I supposed to do? I’m not one of those guys who tells his girlfriend that she can’t have any guy friends,” he explained. 

“I get it,” Cas said, “but I do think you were within your rights given that they had just broken up,” he stated. Dean sort of paused and moved his head around a little bit as if to say ‘yeah, whatever, shut up and let me tell my story’.

“Yeah, whatever, shut up and let me tell my story,” Dean said, a bit of humor starting to return to his demeanor. “As I was saying, I wasn’t gonna be _that guy_ , so I just sort of tried to ignore it. I also really liked this girl. Probably a little too much, but she was really pretty and she liked classic rock, and I’d never been in love before,” Dean admitted. Castiel gave a small, sympathetic pout at his boyfriend’s words. Obviously, there was nothing Cas could’ve done, but he still felt bad that Dean had to go through this. 

“Anyway, she was hanging out at my house, and she left her phone on the table and she got a text from him. She had told me they’d stopped talking, so obviously I wasn’t happy seeing his name pop up on her phone. I confronted her about it, and she tried to duck the question, so we just ended up fighting. It was really tense for about a week, and we really didn’t talk much. I had time to cool down, so I sort of tucked my tail and went to apologize. I bought her flowers and wrote her a note...the whole nine yards,” a blush started to creep up Dean’s neck again. Cas could tell his boyfriend was blaming himself. He wished Dean could see that that whole situation was not his fault. That this girl should be shouldering the blame, not him. Castiel was about to tell him just that when Dean started talking again. 

“Anyway, I was looking for her after school and someone told me they saw her heading towards the art room. I went there, flowers in hand, and when I went back on the other side of the cabinets…” Dean looked off and sighed, “they were there. And she wasn’t wearing her shirt. She tried to tell me that she’d spilled something on it, but I could see that her lipstick was smudged,” he recounted, ducking his head out of embarrassment. 

“I’m so sorry, Dean,” Castiel said, wanting to jump off the bed and wrap him in a hug, but also wanting to give Dean space if he wanted it. 

“It’s not your fault,” Dean answered almost automatically. Castiel could tell he was used to saying that. 

“I know it’s not my fault. It was a really shitty thing that _she_ did to you, and _she_ should be sorry,” Cas said, rising from the bed and walking towards Dean. He wrapped him in a hug and the pair stood there for a while, gently swaying side to side. 

“What did I do to deserve you?” Dean said so quietly, Cas could barely hear him. He wondered if he was _supposed_ to have heard him. After another moment, Dean pulled away and cleared his throat a bit awkwardly. 

“So like I said, hindsight is 20/20,” Dean recapped. Castiel took it for what it was, Dean trying to play it down. Cas knew he was embarrassed about it. Nobody is ever proud to have been cheated on. It bruises your pride to invest emotions and trust into someone who turns out to betray that. Everyone wants to be able to say that they saw it coming, and that they got out of it before they were in too deep. But sometimes, you just have to accept that you were real with someone, but they weren’t real with you. 

“Thanks for telling me that,” Castiel said, leaning in and giving Dean a quick kiss on the lips. Dean smiled sadly. “For what it’s worth, I don’t think you’re naive or dumb or anything remotely like that. I think you were being vulnerable with someone, and she was the one that fucked it up. It doesn’t make you weak or stupid. If anything, it just proves how great _you_ are,” Cas professed. Dean blushed again and tried to turn away, but Cas grabbed both of his hands and kept him in place. They made eye contact and Cas smiled at Dean. They kissed chastely before pulling away. 

Quickly, Castiel’s features turned from content to confused. 

“But, if you were so jealous of Balthazar dancing with me, so apprehensive about being cheated on, then why were you playing that game in the basement? Why did you go in that room with Amara?” Dean could see the hurt in his boyfriend’s eyes. He could also see the anger. Dean sighed and returned to his seat on the edge of Castiel’s bed. 

“Honestly, I didn’t even think I was playing. My old friend Adam had dragged me down there, and I was having fun just talking with some people I’ve sort of lost touch with. I saw that arrow pointed to me and tried to just laugh it off, but the circle was saying that I had to go in there with her. They obviously didn’t know that I’m taken, so they didn’t think they were doing anything wrong,” Dean explained. 

“Nothing happened in there. I mean...she tried to make something happen, but I kept dodging her. Eventually, I just left. I got heckled for leaving early on my way out, but I just headed straight upstairs,” Castiel felt terrible. Of course Dean didn’t do anything with Amara. He felt so stupid. And guilty...he hadn’t even thought of a rational explanation, he just went out seeking petty revenge. He sat next to Dean and dropped his head into his hands. 

“I’m sorry,” Castiel said, voice muffled behind his hands. It was Dean’s turn to be confused. 

“For what?” he laughed, rubbing his hand up and down Cas' back. Castiel just shook his head. 

“When I saw you go into the room with Amara, I went upstairs to deliberately find Balthazar. I was dancing with him like that out of...revenge? God, I’m an idiot.” 

Dean folded his leg, bringing his heel towards himself so he could sit sideways on the bed. He took Castiel’s face in his hands, looking at him intently. He smiled somberly at the small bruise forming in Castiel’s right eye. 

“I’m the idiot,” Dean said, “I caused this,” He gently ran his thumb over his boyfriend’s closed eye. 

“Technically, Balthazar caused that,” Castiel amended, “but I understand what you meant.” The pair smiled softly at each other. Dean leaned in and kissed his boyfriend gently. Castiel moved his leg so that he mirrored Dean’s position. He leaned back in and kissed Dean. He smiled a little bit into the kiss, relieved that they had sorted this whole thing out. Soon enough, the kisses turned from sweet to desperate. After all, Castiel had expected to get laid last night...he was a little overdue for this. And, judging by the way Dean kissed back, he had no objections either. 

The pair moved farther up the bed, Castiel guiding Dean so that the taller boy was on his back. Castiel smiled down at him and pulled at the hem of Dean’s shirt. Dean smiled back and helped Cas remove the offending clothing. Once it was off, Castiel threw it to the side.

When Castiel didn’t dive back in to kiss him, Dean became confused. Instead, Cas was just sitting on Dean’s waist...searching his chest for something. 

“What is it?” Dean asked, running a hand up Castiel’s arm. 

“I’m making sure Amara didn’t leave any marks,” he said with a straight face. Dean couldn’t help himself, he busted out laughing. After a moment, Cas joined in on the laughter and they remained like that until tears sprang to their eyes. 

The laughter crested and then died down, and Castiel leaned forward to kiss Dean soundly on the lips. Dean grabbed a fistful of Cas' hair and kept him right where he wanted him. 

Castiel shifted his hips a little more, spreading his legs so they could be chest-to-chest. He smiled into the next kiss; he had Dean right where he wanted him. Just then, Dean tugged on Cas' hair and pulled a sound out of Cas that he didn’t know he was capable of making. Dean bucked his hips up in response, a much smaller moan escaping his throat. 

“Holy shit, Cas,” Dean breathed out, keeping his hand tangled in that dark, unruly mop. Cas responded by opening up Dean’s mouth, their tongues meeting like a drop of water meets a still lake, sending ripples through both of them. Dean tugged Cas' hair again.

“Fuuuuuck, Dean.”

“You like that?” Dean teased, tugging again. Cas planted his hands on either side of Dean’s head and grinded down hard, both of the boys very much excited about what was to come. 

“What do you think?” Cas replied roughly, slowly grinding up and down on Dean, relieving the tiniest bit of pressure building up between them. It was Dean’s turn to let out a long moan. Without slowing his hips, Cas attached his lips to Dean’s neck in a place he knew Dean wasn’t going to be able to cover up. Dean was too caught up in the feeling to even care. After Cas completed his claiming mark on his boyfriend’s neck, he moved down to his collar bones, sucking at those for what felt like hours. 

Once Cas was satisfied with his smattering of hickeys, he went back up to reunite their lips once again. Dean was hungry for Cas' kisses. He bunched up the back of Cas' shirt, his hands squeezing, itching to be all over his boyfriend. They moved down, collecting the hem of Cas' shirt so he could finally remove it. Cas obliged, lifting his arms when he needed to, only breaking the kiss long enough for Dean to get it off of him. 

Once the skin was exposed, Dean’s hands were all over it. First, flattening out on his shoulder blades. Then, he curled his fingers so the barest hint of nails could be felt as they made their way down Castiel’s back, bracketing his spine. Dean’s left hand stayed at Cas' lower back as the other’s fingernails dragged back up his spine. Cas shivered and Dean felt a twitch between them that didn’t come from him. He ran his nails down Cas' back one more time. Once both hands were at Cas' lower back, they went further, slipping under the waistband of Castiel’s pants. He laughed when he noticed what was missing. 

“Not a fan of underwear?” Dean asked once they finally came up for air. 

“I was in a rush this morning. Someone was vacuuming the living room and I needed to investigate. And if you’ll recall, I didn’t exactly sleep in pajamas last night,” Cas leaned back in and rolled his hips, Dean’s hands squeezing his cheeks, pulling Cas down harder onto him.

“Mmmmm...you weren’t wearing underwear at your party, either,” Dean pointed out, continuing to kiss Cas.

“That was because I was expecting to get some last night,” Cas revealed with another roll of his hips. “Too bad you had fuck that up, huh?” Their kisses turned harsher, more desperate. Dean started to pull Cas' pants down his legs. The boy on top shimmied out of them, kicking them down his legs when Dean couldn’t reach anymore. 

“It’s not my fault Balthazar was being a smug bastard,” Dean defended, his hands returning to their comfortable place on his boyfriend’s ass.

“He can come off a bit...pompous,” Cas agreed, “but do you really want to talk about him right now?” he punctuated that with another delicious roll of his hips. 

“Ugh, abso-fuckin-lutely not,” Dean groaned out. He put his hands on Cas' hips and pushed him up, breaking the contact between them. Castiel knitted his eyebrows together in confusion. 

“If I don’t get my pants off in the next five seconds, I’m gonna explode,” Dean explained, undoing the button and zipper of his jeans. Cas sat back on his heels and helped Dean pull the denim down and off Dean’s legs. There was an impressive tent in Dean’s boxers, the green cloth a bit damp in one spot. 

“You weren’t kidding,” Cas commented, palming Dean through his boxers. Dean bucked up to meet Cas' hand. 

“It’s been a while since we’ve...been together,” Dean tried to explain, a flush of embarrassment adding on top of his already arousal-flushed skin. Castiel paused to think about that. It had been a couple weeks since they’ve had any time alone together point-blank. 

“You haven’t...relieved yourself?” Cas asked, teasing Dean with slow strokes up and down Dean’s still-clothed length. Dean breathed out a short laugh.

“You asking if I masturbate?” 

“So what if I am?” Cas asked back, slowly pulling his boyfriend’s boxers down until he sprang free. 

“Mmm, generally, yes,” Dean answered, running a hand through his own hair. “Recently, no.”

“Generally, huh? What do you think about, when you touch yourself?” Cas asked bluntly, encircling Dean’s cock in his hand, setting a steady pace. 

“Ohhhhh, fuck,” Dean’s eyes screwed shut. “De-depends on what I’m in the mood for,” he stuttered out, biting at his bottom lip. Castiel loved the way his boyfriend looked in this moment.

“Yeah? Tell me more,” Castiel coaxed, shifting a bit higher on Dean’s legs so he could take the both of them in his hand. They both groaned at the contact.

“Fuck, Cas. Doesn’t matter what position...always you,” Dean revealed, sitting up abruptly to plant a searing kiss on Cas' lips. Dean snaked his right hand between them, joining Cas', establishing a new rhythm together.

Cas started bouncing slightly up and down, caught up in everything he was feeling. He could feel noise coming out of his throat, but he didn’t know if they were words or just sounds. He leaned back a little, the hand not stroking the two of them braced on Dean’s leg. He sighed at the new position, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. 

Much to his disappointment, his legs grew tired of this position very quickly. Pulling himself back up towards Dean, he absently promised himself he’d work on his legs in gym. He pushed Dean so he was lying on his back once more. From this angle, Cas could really rut up against his boyfriend. They found an achingly sweet pace, Castiel just teetering on the edge. 

“D-Dean,” he breathed out, “pull my hair,” he begged. Dean’s fingers quickly found their way to those locks and got a firm hold. He tugged Cas down so their lips could meet again. Cas half moaned, half whined into Dean’s mouth. It only took a couple more pumps before he was done for, spilling all over their hands and Dean’s torso. Dean wasn’t far behind, letting out a string of expletives as he came, soiling their hands and his own body even more. 

Castiel collapsed on top of Dean, unbothered by the mess between them. They lay like that for a while, catching their breath. 

“Fuck,” Dean breathed out, running the hand that wasn’t trapped under his boyfriend through his damp hair. Cas laughed into Dean’s neck.

“I love you,” Dean professed. Cas snuggled closer to his boyfriend. 

“I love you, too,” he replied, kissing Dean’s neck. They stayed like that for a while, their bones too much like jelly to even think about standing. Dean played with Cas' hair as Cas teased one of Dean’s nipples by grazing over it with his thumb. The boys were something they hadn’t been for a while: content. Between Cas' episode in September, and Dean’s outburst at the party, they’d been a little strained. But now, with everything out in the open, they were finally able to completely relax around each other. 

“We’re sticky,” Dean complained, the afterglow slowly fading. Castiel chucked but agreed and pushed himself off of Dean. 

“Wanna shower?” he asked with a wiggle of his eyebrows. Dean grinned. 

“There’s nothing I want more,” he replied, following his boyfriend into the bathroom.

⚣

Dean returned home later that evening, having been kicked out by Cas right after their shower (“Yes, you have to leave.” “Why?” “Because if you don’t, I’m going to have to drag you back to bed, and I don’t want to be in a compromising position if Naomi gets home early.”). He felt about two tons lighter now that he and Cas had worked through their shit. 

“Dean?” Mary called from the kitchen after hearing the front door open and close. The boy leaned down to untie his shoes. 

“Yeah,” he yelled back. 

“We’re making banana bread, could you grab the big mixing bowl from this cabinet for me?” she asked. Dean rolled his eyes; they did have a stool in there for a reason. He shook it off and went upstairs to complete the task. Despite his ‘bad boy’ reputation he tried to live up to, he was actually quite happy to help out his mom.

He entered the kitchen and Mary pointed out which cabinet the bowl was in. Sam was in there as well, peeling and mashing the bananas. Dean ruffled his little brother’s hair, earning an indignant ‘hey’ before reaching up and grabbing the bowl. He only had to go up on his toes slightly to reach it. 

“Dean Winchester,” Mary said sternly, causing her eldest son to freeze in place before setting the bowl down very slowly. The brothers shared a look, Dean silently asking Sam what was happening and Sam silently replying that he had no idea. 

“What?” Dean cautioned, caught completely off guard by the sudden switch of Mary’s tone. She walked closer to him, pointing an accusatory finger at his neck. 

“Are those _hickeys_?” she asked. Dean blushed and quickly brought his hand up to conceal the marks. Sam snorted, but tried to cover it up with a cough. Dean glared at him. 

“Uhh, no,” he deflected eloquently, making a move to flee the kitchen as quickly as possible. Mary blocked his path, putting both hands on her hips. 

“Oooooooo, Dean’s in troubleeee,” Sam taunted, earning an ‘I’ll get you for that’ look from Dean. Mary held a hand up to Sam, stopping him from adding anything else.

“I support you and I love Castiel like my own - and those _better_ be from him - but I don’t want you parading around your sex life like this,” she said. Dean’s blush deepened and he was suddenly very interested in the pattern of the floor tiles in the kitchen. 

“What are people gonna think?” Mary continued, “That I just let my teenage son be unsupervised around his significant other?” 

“Moooom,” Dean groaned. 

“Don’t ‘mom’ me,” she warned, “go wash up for supper. We’ll talk about this later.”

Dean sighed and left the kitchen, harshly bumping his shoulder into Sam as he did so, earning a chastising _Dean_ from his mother. 

*

After a rather uncomfortable meal, Sam was sent down to the den and Dean was left to clean up with Mary. They cleared the table in a loaded silence, Dean wishing with all his might that he was anywhere but in his kitchen right now. They filled the dishwasher and Mary motioned for Dean to take a seat at the dining table. 

“Now, first thing’s first: those _are_ from Castiel, right?”

“Mom,” Dean complained, finally looking up from the table he was very interested in a moment ago. 

“I just had to make sure,” she defended, raising her hands up. “I’m raising you boys to be honest, so I won’t tolerate any two-timing under this roof.” 

“I’m not cheating on Cas!” Dean insisted, “I may be an idiot, but I’m not _stupid_.”

Mary leveled a glare laced with fondness. She wouldn’t outright agree with her son calling himself an idiot...but he was a seventeen-year-old boy. 

“Good,” she said simply. “Now I want to address the fact that you told me you were going to _Charlie’s_ house when you left this afternoon,” Mary said, giving a stern look to Dean. He sighed and looked down into his lap. 

“I’m sorry, mom,” he started, “I know I shouldn’t have lied to you, but Cas and I were kind of in the middle of a fight, and I was going over there to try and sort it out and…” he trailed off, not exactly knowing where that sentence was taking him. She seemed to take his explanation in stride. 

“I assume you two made up,” she said, referencing the hickeys. Dean blushed and nodded. 

“Yeah, we’re good now.”

“Well, I’m glad you sorted things out, and I understand why you didn’t want to tell me, but I can’t reward bad behavior,” she said. Dean looked up, a grimace already on his face at the impending punishment. “For lying to me about where you were going, we’re going to trade cars for the week,” she said. Dean scoffed.

“Seriously?” Mary gave him a stern look, and Dean’s face crumpled. “Mom, please, not the car! I’ll pick up extra chores or be grounded, just please don’t make me drive your car,” Dean bargained. Mary stood her ground. 

“Maybe think twice about lying to your mother,” she warned. “Set your keys on the table, I’m going to miss my show,” with that she got up from her chair and retired to the living room. Dean grumbled about his car as he dug his keys out of his pocket. He set them down and sulked back to his room. He flopped on the bed and stared at the ceiling for a while. 

“I heard mom took your car,” Sam teased. Dean nearly jumped out of skin at the sudden voice at his door. 

“Jesus, Sam! We need to get you a bell,” Sam brushed off the comment and waltzed into Dean’s room like he owned the place. He had a shit-eating grin on his face. 

“You better wipe that smile off before I wipe it for you,” Dean threatened sitting up on his bed and facing Sam as the younger boy took a seat on the futon.

“I don’t think you’d risk getting into any more trouble,” Sam wagered, his smile not faltering. 

“What do you want?” Dean asked, already over this entire interaction. Sam’s demeanor shifted, his words coming about a bit more timid. 

“What’s it like?” Sam asked, focusing on the hands in his lap. 

“Being punished? It fucking sucks,” Dean said, scrunching his face up in a mixture of disgust and confusion. It’s not like getting your prized possession taken away from you was a fun experience. 

“Uh, no,” Sam said. Dean could see a blush forming in his younger brother’s cheeks. Realization dawned on the older Winchester. 

“You mean sex,” he said flatly. Sam’s blush only deepened. He nodded meekly, not looking Dean in the eye. The older brother laughed; he wasn’t quite sure how to approach this. Sam was only thirteen, afterall. It was Dean’s turn to tease his brother. 

“Well, when two people love each other veeeeery much,” he started. Sam scoffed and stood up. 

“Nevermind. I knew I shouldn’t have asked you,” he made a move to leave, but Dean grabbed his shirt and tugged him down next to him on the bed. He ruffled Sam’s hair a bit more, but dropped the teasing after that. 

“It’s pretty strange, I’m not gonna lie,” he started. Sam looked up at him, brushing his hair out of the way. The kid needed a haircut. “But with the right person, it can be…fun...and exciting,” Dean sighed, not knowing how to deal with this. His dad was the one that gave him this talk a few years ago, he never thought he’d have to give it to Sammy. 

“Look, I’m not gonna give you the birds and the bees crap, because I’m your brother, not your dad. All I’m gonna say is don’t be an idiot; use protection no matter who you’re...with. And make sure it’s what you _want_ to do; don’t feel pressured into it. It should be fun for both of you,” Dean nodded to himself, proud that he seemed to get through that in one piece. Sam nodded to himself. He got off the bed, Dean standing up to walk him out of his room. 

“Thanks,” Sam said. Dean smiled and pulled his younger brother in for a hug. They broke apart and Dean messed up Sam’s hair one final time before kicking him out of his room. 

“Now leave me alone, bitch,” Dean said. Sam rolled his eyes, but exited the room. 

“Whatever, jerk.” 

Dean shut the door. He had a phone call to make. 

⚣

Castiel was lounging on his bed, wasting time on his laptop. He’d made himself a nutritious supper of a hot pocket with a side of cheez-its. He was still snacking on the little squares when his phone started to ring. 

“Hello, Dean.”

_“You’re not allowed to give me hickeys anymore.”_

Castiel blinked. Out of everything he thought Dean might’ve called to say, that was not on the list.

“Um...I’m gonna have to protest that,” Cas answered, pausing his show and sitting up a little straighter in his bed. 

_“Well, my mom saw them and had a ‘talk’ with me.”_

“Hmm. Somehow I don’t see how that’s _my_ problem,” Cas teased, a mischievous smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. 

_“For starters, my mom is making me swap cars with her for the entire week,”_ Dean explained. 

“Still not seeing it. If _my_ step-mom had caught _me_ with hickeys on _my_ neck, and knew that they were from _you_ , I would’ve been lynched,” Cas said. He heard Dean sigh heavily on the other end of the line. 

_“Just keep ‘em out of sight. Please?”_

Castiel chuckled. He’d had his fill of giving Dean a hard time. 

“Of course, baby,” he said, “anything for you,” he made kissy noises into his receiver. Okay...so maybe he wasn’t done giving Dean a hard time. 

_“Gee, thanks,”_ Dean spat out sarcastically, _“I really feel appreciated and respected in this relationship.”_

Castiel could hear the pout through the phone. 

“I respect and appreciate you,” Castiel reassured his boyfriend, “I just also happen to like giving you a hard time every once in a while. I have to maintain a good compliment-to-roast ratio.” 

_“Pshhh, whatever.”_

“Do you want me to come over there and show you my appreciation?” Castiel threatened. 

_“Oh yeah, so you can get me in more trouble with my mom? I don’t think so.”_

“Ok...but I want it on record that you’re the one who turned my appreciation down.” 

_“Yeah I’m gonna quit while I’m...well, while I still have a boyfriend.”_ Castiel just laughed.

“You’ll have to try harder than that to get rid of me,” Cas teased, “I’ll see you at school on Monday.”

_“See you then. Love you, Cas.”_

“Love you too, Dean. I’m sorry about the hickeys. But maybe be sure Amara catches a glimpse of them. Okloveyoubye.” Cas tacked on. He quickly ended the call before Dean could say anything else.


	21. The Twenty-First Chapter

The weeks passed as the temperature outside steadily declined. The trees were changing colors, some already ditching their leaves to keep their roots warm. Daylight savings time came and went, and while they did get the ‘extra hour’, Castiel found himself missing the warm sunshine. He gradually replaced his shorts and shirts for pants and sweaters, but he did have to admit: he liked the _aesthetic_ of this time of year. He certainly looked good in corduroy pants, and Dean agreed.

All in all, it _was_ a picturesque fall, but Castiel was not looking forward to the colder months. Sure, fuzzy blankets and roaring fireplaces were nice in theory, but the reality of scraping off his windshield in the mornings and the sun setting before dinner put a damper on his holiday spirit. That, and the fact that they were going to host Naomi’s side of the family for Thanksgiving this year. Of course, Castiel had been subjected to completing a deep-clean of the entire house at Naomi’s command; the woman wouldn’t be caught dead with a house anything other than immaculate. 

Between his schoolwork and holiday prep, Castiel barely had any time for himself. Or for Dean. They tried planning dates, but every time Castiel thought he’d had a spare hour, Naomi swooped in with some new task. 

The fourth Thursday of November was finally right around the corner, and although ‘relieved’ might have been a strong word, Castiel was at least seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. And no, he wasn’t even going to _think_ about Christmas. 

It was the day before the holiday, and the doorbell rang loud and clear in the quiet house. 

“Castiel! Go get that!” Naomi yelled from her bedroom. Castiel had been comfortably lounging on his bed, watching movies and texting Dean, but he sighed and made his way to the front door at his step-mother’s command. He’d be happy when he was off at college, far, far away from _her_. With lovely fantasies of himself in a dorm room, he swung the front door open and was met with two smiling faces. 

“Hello, Castiel,” Michael greeted. 

“Michael,” Cas replied, a tight smile on his lips. The younger brother stepped aside to let the guests in. They set their small suitcases by the wall and removed their jackets and shoes. Once the older brother had hung up the clothing, he put his arm around the redhead that had come in with him. 

“This is my girlfriend, Anna,” Michael introduced, beaming. The redhead smiled and held out her hand for the younger boy to shake. 

“It’s nice to finally meet you,” she said, “your brother has told me all about you.” Castiel was surprised at that. He sort of assumed Michael chose to forget he even had a younger brother. 

“Thank you. It’s a pleasure to meet you as well,” Cas replied. Michael looked around the house, clearly trying to figure something out. He looked just as if he were about to voice his question when Naomi came down the stairs. 

“Oh, Michael, you made it!” she said, her tone the happiest Castiel had ever heard it. She almost sounded like a real mother who was genuinely happy to see her son. She hugged Michael and smiled at him, slowly turning her attention to the redhead standing next to him. 

“And this must be Anna,” she pulled the woman into a hug, surprising Castiel...and by the looks of it, Anna as well. “She’s beautiful, Michael.” 

Castiel’s eyebrows reached for his hairline. He had never heard Naomi compliment anyone before, and to be honest, it was freaking him out a little bit.

“Castiel, go put their bags upstairs,” she ordered, like he was some kind of bell-hop. 

“Upstairs?” he questioned. There were only two bedrooms upstairs and those were occupied by his parents and...oh no. She wasn’t seriously implying….

“Yes, they’ll be staying in your room. _Now_ ,” she looked pointedly at the suitcases and then nodded her head towards the stairs. 

They had _not_ discussed this. Since when did Castiel have to give up the only space in the house that felt remotely like his own? They had _two_ guest bedrooms, for crying out loud! And the office on the main floor could easily be converted into a third. Instead of fighting it, he clenched his jaw and grabbed the bags harshly, making his way up the stairs as Naomi started to give Anna the nickel tour. Although, Castiel thought bitterly, if Naomi were actually going to start charging for tours, they’d cost a lot more than that. 

He was slightly pacified by the fact they were only staying two nights. They’d be gone Friday morning; then things would slow down for a few weeks before Christmas hit them. And _Christmas!_ What was he supposed to do about _that_? Were they going to commandeer his room then, too? Through his brooding, he didn’t catch the sympathetic look Anna threw his way.

⚣

“Ugh, mom, that was amazing! I couldn’t eat another bite if I tried,” Dean leaned back in his chair and rubbed both of his hands over his gorged belly. He let out a long belch and smiled to himself. Sam gave him a disgusted side-eye and finished the last bite of mashed potatoes on his plate. 

“You didn’t even save room for my famous apple pie?” Mary asked, setting it on the table right in front of Dean. She laughed at her eldest son, practically seeing the gears in his mind turn to figure out how he could fit in a slice. 

“Well, maybe just a small piece,” he said, leaning forward to serve himself. Mary smiled and returned to her seat at the head of the table, waiting patiently for Dean to grab his slice so she could grab one of her own. She usually wasn’t the type to brag, but she was awfully proud of her apple pie recipe. 

Just before Dean could dig in, his phone started ringing in his pocket. He groaned and set his fork down, reaching his hand into his pocket to dig it out. 

“I thought we had a ‘no phones at the table’ rule,” Sam complained, earning a dirty look from his brother. Mary gave Dean a pointed look, obviously agreeing with her youngest. Dean had the decency to blush, and excused himself from the table when he read the caller I.D. 

“Cas? What’s up?” Dean left his bedroom door open a crack behind him. 

_“Dean, I’m losing it over here.”_

“Why? What’s going on?” Dean laughed at the antics he pictured Cas' family getting up to over a Thanksgiving meal. 

_“As you know, Michael and Anna took over my bedroom yesterday, which I’ve made my peace with, the guest bedroom on the main floor really isn’t that bad, but now Naomi’s side of the family is here, and they’re all just as awful as her, and I’ve had to sit through three rants about ‘liberal snowflakes’ and I really don’t know how much more I can take,”_ Castiel rushed out, his breathing labored even through the phone. 

“Hey, hey, calm down, deep breaths, c’mon,” Dean soothed. When he heard his boyfriend’s breathing return to normal, he continued, “do you need to get away for awhile? You’re welcome to come here,” he offered. He heard Cas sigh on the other end of the line. 

_“Honestly, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be than at your house,”_ Cas said wistfully, _“but they’ll definitely notice if I’m not here. I don’t know, maybe I’m being dramatic? I mean, there are a couple people here who aren’t_ completely _awful,_ ” he said. Dean scratched the back of his head. He really didn’t like his boyfriend being trapped in that environment. 

“You’re not being dramatic,” Dean reassured him. Cas laughed.

_“Dean, I’m hiding in the bathroom, all the way in the back - I’m literally standing in the tub right now - just to make this phone call,”_ Dean smiled at the picture, even laughing at the absurdity. 

“Ok, then...maybe just a smidge dramatic,” he humored Cas. He could hear the sound of a shower curtain being pulled back. 

_“I’m sorry, but I’ve got to go. This bathroom break is bordering on being suspiciously long.”_ Dean could hear the tap turn on.

“We’ve only been talking for like, two minutes,” Dean pointed out. 

_“Yeah, well, this was a real bathroom break at the beginning,”_ Castiel explained. Dean laughed. 

“Ok. I’m sorry your holiday isn’t going well. Call or text me if you need anything, and remember you’re always welcome here. My mom made apple pie...I don’t wanna oversell it, but it’s pretty damn good.”

_“Ugh, I wish. Maybe I’ll sneak out tonight...I am on the first floor…”_ Cas trailed off _, “Ok, I’ve really gotta go. I love you.”_

“Love you, too. I hope things get better.” With that, they hung up. Dean took a deep breath and pocketed his phone again, returning upstairs to dig into that pie. 

“Who was that?” Mary asked from the kitchen sink. 

“Uhh, it was Cas,” Dean replied, finally taking his first bite of the delicious dessert. He just barely suppressed a moan as flavor burst on his tongue. 

“Is everything ok?”

“Yeah, I guess. They’re hosting Naomi’s side of the family, and I think he just needed a little break.”

“Well, he’s always welcome to come over here and have some of my pie,” Mary offered. Dean smiled into his next bite.

“Tha’s wha I ‘old ‘im.”

“Dean Winchester, do not speak with food in your mouth. I raised you better,” Mary admonished. Dean lowered his gaze, squeaking out a small apology. 

⚣

Cas hung up and emerged from the bathroom. He pointedly avoided the living room, where a rather spirited political debate was taking place. And by “spirited” he meant “loud” and by “debate” he meant “echochamber”. He quietly snuck into the kitchen to grab something to drink. He’d successfully poured himself a glass of water when Anna walked up to him. 

“Hiding from the politics?” she asked. Castiel gave a short nod and took a sip of water.

“Looks like you could use a sip of this,” she said, offering her glass of red wine. Castiel looked up at her, a nervous laugh escaping his lips. He didn’t know her well enough to be sure if this was a joke. “I’m serious,” she said, her eyebrows asking the question this time. 

“Oh,” he said, grabbing the glass and taking one small, apprehensive sip before going back in for a much larger gulp. He gave her the (nearly empty) glass back, looking around to see if Naomi or one of her awful relatives had noticed the underaged drinking. She chuckled at him. 

“It’s ok, I was keeping watch,” she joked. 

“Um, thanks,” he replied, not knowing what else to say. They stood in a not-wholly- _un_ comfortable silence for a few moments. “Are you not into right-winged debates?” he chanced. On the one hand, she _was_ dating his brother...but on the other, she _had_ offered him wine knowing full-well he was still in high school. She gave a short laugh. 

“I wouldn’t exactly call that a debate,” they shared a look. “I’m going into education...of the _arts_ ,” she explained, reaching for the bottle of wine to refill her glass. Castiel smiled...maybe Anna _was_ a good influence on his brother. He at least hoped his brother wasn’t a bad influence on her. 

“So...no offense, but how’d you end up with Michael?” he asked. She paused to think about it, a happy smile crossing her face. He thought he might recognize that expression, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. 

“He’s very sweet,” she started, taking a sip of her wine, “and he’s not as right-leaning as he makes himself out to be. I have a feeling that’s a bit of him trying to please Naomi.” Castiel scoffed at the mention of his step-mother. 

“Oh believe me, I know,” Anna said in response to the scoff, “I’m working on it,” she flashed him a conspiratorial smile. Castiel found himself smiling back. 

“Also, I want to apologize about stealing your bedroom,” Castiel made an effort to brush it off, but Anna wasn’t having it. “And don’t give me any bullshit about you not caring, because I know you do. I didn’t know we’d be staying up there, I thought we’d be occupying the room you’re in now.” 

“Believe me, I didn’t think anyone was to blame but Naomi,” Castiel abated. 

“I’ll talk to Michael about our plans for Christmas. I’m sure I can talk him into the guest bedroom, especially since we’ll be staying longer then,” she promised. 

They went back to sipping their respective drinks and fell into a pleasant conversation. Whenever they fell into silence, it never felt loaded or uncomfortable. Castiel couldn’t remember the last person he felt like this around. 

Maybe this holiday wouldn’t be completely unbearable. 

⚣

An hour or so later, Castiel and Anna moved their party to the basement, seeking a small refuge from the company upstairs. Naomi had brought out pumpkin pie, which sparked a fun discussion about how “today’s youth need to stop making up all those food allergies”, which then somehow turned into the classic “kids can’t do anything that isn’t on their phone”. Needless to say, Castiel had had his fill of this particular family gathering.

Not long after they had sought their shelter, they heard the door open and footsteps come down the stairs. 

“I was wondering where you’d disappeared to,” Michael said, flashing one of his trademarked smiles as he leaned down to give his girlfriend a peck on the lips. Anna smiled back and pushed him playfully into the recliner catty corner to the couch. 

“We were just plotting a raid of the freezer in the garage. Castiel informed me that there might be goodies in there,” Anna revealed, only half joking. Michael let out a sound of understanding and laughed. 

“I’m pretty sure the ‘goodies’ are for the guests,” Michael said, pointing a look at Castiel. The younger brother rolled his eyes. He wasn’t actually planning on raiding the freezer; Michael needed to lighten up. 

“That’s why it would be a _raid_ ,” Anna pointed out, challenging her boyfriend with the raise of her eyebrows. Michael returned his gaze to his girlfriend and gave a bit of a reluctant smile. 

“I guess you’ve got me there,” he conceded, flicking one last disapproving look towards his younger brother. “In any case, people are starting to filter out, and I’d hate for you not to say goodbye,” he said, standing up and offering Anna his hand. She took it and stood up, placing a kiss upon his cheek.

She turned back to Castiel and promised, “We’ll finish plotting our schemes later.” With a wink from Anna, the couple returned to the party upstairs. 

Castiel sighed and laid fully onto the couch. After a moment of staring blankly at the ceiling, he pulled out his phone. 

_< << Wanna trade brothers? -Cas_

_> >> Not for the world. What’s up? -Dean_

_< << C’mon...not even like a time-share deal? -Cas_

_> >> Cas? -Dean_

Castiel sighed and looked back up at the ceiling. He knew Dean would worry, but he was hoping to get a little bit more back-and-forth out of him before he actually had to talk. 

_< << It’s nothing, Michael’s just being...Michael -Cas_

_> >> Ah. What happened? -Dean_

_< << Well, Anna and I have been getting along rather well today, and we snuck down to the basement to be away from The Congregation™. Well, Michael came down, and Anna made a joke about me and her ‘raiding’ the stuff that’s in the freezer in the garage and he was all like “Castiel, those are for the guests” all high and mighty, like I’m still 5 years old or something! Like...I KNOW those are for the guests! You don’t think Noami reiterated that a billion times before tonight? I’m not fucking stupid!! -Cas_

Castiel took a few deep breaths after hitting send. Wow, he was a lot more frustrated about that than he thought. Maybe it was because he’d been around Naomi’s brood all day. 

_> >> Yeah, well, Michael’s a dick. It’s kind of the big brother’s job -Dean_

_< << You’re not a dick -Cas_

_> >> Ha! Not to you, you’re my boyfriend. I’m surprised Sam hasn’t tried to sully my reputation -Dean_

_< << Why? What would he have to say? -Cas_

A smile tugged at the corners of Cas' mouth. How did Dean do that?

_> >> Why, Castiel. He would have nothing to say. I am the pillar of good-brotherhood -Dean_

_< << Oh I’m sure -Cas_

_> >> ;) -Dean_

“Who are you texting?”

“Shit!” Castiel nearly smacked himself in the face with his phone. “Uh, no one,” he recovered smoothly. 

Anna raised an eyebrow and sauntered over to the couch. 

“Didn’t look like ‘no one’,” she teased, resting her elbow on the back of the couch and her head in her hand. Castiel blushed slightly, and looked down at his phone to try and conceal it. 

“Well, whoever she is, I bet she’s wonderful to snag a guy like you,” Anna said, giving Castiel a reassuring smile. Castiel was glad he was looking down at his phone, because Anna’s use of the feminine pronoun definitely got a response out of him. He pondered briefly correcting her, but ultimately decided against it. She was just too close to Michael. 

“Uh. Yeah. Thanks,” he replied. Luckily, she didn’t dwell on it. 

“Most of Naomi’s folk have filtered out, and a few of them didn’t want their ‘goodie’, so…” she looked pointedly at the stairs and then back at Cas. The boy smiled and stood up. 

“Well, you don’t have to tell me twice.”


	22. Oh The Weather Outside is Weather

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonus points to those who know where the first two lines of dialogue are from  
> Also kudos to you if you know where the chapter title is from  
> (first comment-er with the correct answer(s) will get a hefty virtual high-five from yours truly)
> 
> Enjoy!

“Please! It’s Christmas!” Dean begged, lifting his arms up to protect his face from his boyfriend's wrath. 

“It’s December tenth!” Castiel retorted, raising the giant chunk of snow above his head. Dean yelled out in protest, laughter taking over more often than actual yelling. He felt the cold snow break apart, and some sneak down his coat. Castiel was looming over him, his bright blue eyes shining with mirth. Dean took that as his opportunity to throw the snowball he’d secretly been moulding once Cas had delivered his final blow. 

“Cheap shot!” Charlie protested as Castiel dramatically clutched his stomach and fell to the snow-covered ground next to Dean. 

“Oh, _that_ was a cheap shot, but clobbering me from point-blank _wasn’t_?” Dean asked incredulously. 

“Well, Cas is on my team. You’re not,” Charlie pointed out. Dean rolled his eyes. Castiel lifted his head from the snow and Dean smiled down at him. Just then, Castiel was hit by another snowball. Then another. And another. Dean acted quickly and covered Cas' body with his own. 

“Dean! What the hell?” Sam complained. “You’re not supposed to cover for him! You’re on _my_ team!” 

Dean ignored his whining brother in favor of leaning down and kissing Castiel solidly on the mouth. Castiel laughed and wrapped his legs around Dean’s waist, drawing complaints from both Charlie and Sam. 

“We really should’ve just let them team up,” Sam observed, coming to stand next to Charlie. 

“Oh, so they could just do that the entire time? At least we got ten minutes out of them,” Charlie replied. Sam nodded his head.

“I’m tinkering with a new hot chocolate recipe,” Sam said, indirectly inviting Charlie inside and away from those two idiots.

“I like the way you think,” Charlie replied, leading them back to the house. They didn’t bother informing Dean or Cas...they could stay out here for as long as they wanted. 

Dean smiled into the kisses. It had been a while since he and Cas had gotten to spend any time together. The moment they got the call this morning that there was a snow day, Dean had invited Charlie and Cas over to have a little fun.

Dean slipped his tongue in and Castiel let him. His lips were cold, but his cheeks were flaming hot. He knew Charlie and Sam were out there somewhere, and while he would never complain about making out with Dean, he could still feel a _little_ shame in doing so in front of those two. 

Castiel let Dean at it for a few more seconds before playfully pushing Dean off of him.

“That’s enough,” Cas said. Dean dramatically flopped onto the snow and sighed. 

“It’s not my fault you look adorable with those rosy cheeks,” Dean teased. Castiel picked up a handful of snow and shoved it up Dean’s shirt. The teen yelped and sprang to his feet, rushing to get the snow out. 

Castiel laughed and stood up as well. Dean leveled him a glare and Castiel stretched his arms out in front of him. 

“Hey, no, wait...I was just trying to-” Castiel didn’t finish his sentence because he took off running. 

“Oh, no you don’t!” Dean yelled after him. He scooped up some snow and chased after Cas. He caught up and shoved some down the back of Cas' sweater. The younger boy shrieked at the frigidness. He whipped around, his eyes ablaze as they centered on Dean. 

“Hey, hey, nuh-uh. We’re even now,” Dean declared. Castiel just kept creeping closer and closer. He backed Dean up against the shed that the Winchesters kept their yard work equipment in. Castiel put his hands on either side of Dean’s head and leaned in, claiming his lips in a rough kiss. 

“What are they doing now?” Sam asked, handing Charlie a steaming mug and joining her by the window. 

“They’re making out against the shed,” she informed him, gently blowing on her drink to cool it down. “Ugh,” she complained, “if I knew this was how they were going to act, I wouldn’t have accepted the invite.”

Sam chuckled and took another sip. “How do you think _I_ feel when Cas hangs out here?” Sam asked. Charlie smirked and took a tentative sip of the hot chocolate. 

“Fair point. Wanna go play GTA V?” Charlie offered. 

“Anything to stop looking at that.”

Dean grabbed Castiel’s ass, causing the younger boy to jump and break the kiss. He scowled at his boyfriend and shook his head. Dean laughed at Castiel’s facial expression.

“Watch yourself, Winchester,” Castiel warned.

“Or what?” Dean taunted, waggling his eyebrows for good measure. Castiel raised a single eyebrow in response. He smirked and turned on his heel, practically sashaying back to the house. Dean was frozen to the shed, only able to watch as his boyfriend strutted away. He collected himself and dashed to catch up with Cas. He caught him as he was opening the backdoor and wrapped his arms around his middle, picking Cas up. Not expecting this, Castiel let out a yelp. 

“What are you doing?” Cas asked, starting to laugh. Dean dragged him away from the door and placed him back on the ground before tilting Cas' chin up and planting a kiss right on his lips. Castiel rolled his eyes, but smiled into the kiss nonetheless.

“Can we go back inside now?” Cas asked, “I’m freezing.”

Dean laughed and opened the door for his boyfriend. 

⚣

Two weeks later found the Novak household with two more residents. Anna and Michael were staying in the guest bedroom on the main floor, as per Anna’s promise from Thanksgiving. It was Christmas Eve, and Castiel had just spent a wonderful afternoon at the Winchester’s house. Dean wasn’t lying when he said Mary made a mean pie. 

Being with the Winchesters always made Castiel feel so warm and accepted. When he was at their house, he never had to worry about hiding any part of himself. He could just exist and enjoy the company. By the time the sun started setting (too early, in Castiel’s opinion), Cas excused himself to return home. Naomi had made a big deal about how little time Cas was spending at the house. 

In spite of Naomi’s demands, Castiel sighed happily as he parked in the driveway. Today had been an exceptionally good day. A smile graced his lips as he unlocked the front door and stepped inside. He quickly unlaced his boots and hung up his coat and scarf. He made a slight detour to the kitchen, saying a quick hello to Michael and Anna who were in the living room, before finding something to tide him over until supper.

He threw open the pantry and scanned the shelves, silently debating what snack he was in the mood for. Caught between a pop tart and a bag of chips, he grabbed both to make his final assessment. 

“What are you doing?” Naomi asked as she entered the kitchen from the garage. Castiel rolled his eyes, safely hidden behind one of the pantry doors.

“Grabbing a snack,” he replied, finally settling on the chips so he could retreat to his room. 

“You’ll spoil your dinner, put that back,” she said, setting her purse on the counter. Castiel rolled his eyes once again, but returned the chips to the pantry. He wasn’t all that hungry anyway, and he _really_ didn’t need to get into a fight with Naomi right now. 

Closing the pantry, Castiel made quick work to get out of there. Before he could, Naomi stopped him. 

“What’s this I hear about you getting a C on your calculus test?” She put her hands on her hips and looked at him expectantly, looking for all the world like an actual concerned mother. Castiel, of course saw right through her “concern”. 

“Where did you _hear_ that?” Castiel asked back. They had just gotten those tests back on the last day of school before break. And it’s not like he failed; the teacher had told them that this test was going to be the hardest of the year, so he was actually pretty happy with his grade. 

“Don’t get smart with me,” Naomi warned. Castiel almost laughed at her choice of words. Now wouldn’t that be a travesty: if Castiel were “smart”. When he didn’t offer her an explanation outright, she prompted, “Well? What do you have to say to that?” 

Castiel folded his arms in front of himself and squinted his eyes in confusion. Apparently, Naomi was resorting back to her micromanagement tendencies. 

“What do I have to say?” Castiel parroted. “I don’t have to explain anything to you.”

“Castiel, all I am trying to do is bring your attention back to your academia. You’ve been out of the house so much doing God knows what, which you _will_ be cutting back on, and I’m concerned that you’re letting that distract you from what matters.” 

“And a C on a high school math test is what ‘matters’?” Castiel asked, putting air quotes around the last word. 

“I don’t like your tone,” Naomi started, “and yes. You should be striving for As on all your tests. Especially calculus, since you’re taking that for a college credit. How you do in that class will affect your college selection, Castiel. I don’t think you understand that.” 

“I understand it just fine,” Castiel retorted, turning around to walk through the living room to get to the stairs since Naomi was blocking the more direct route. Michael gave him a concerned, yet disapproving look as he marched toward the stairs. Castiel ignored it. 

“And just where do you think you’re going?” Naomi called after him. Would she ever have a discussion with Castiel that didn’t involve at least one conversational cliche? 

“To my room,” Castiel replied as he reached the bottom of the stairs, tacking on, _“to study,”_ snarkily in his head. 

“Castiel, I am just trying to look out for your future,” Naomi explained, her tone reaching exasperation. 

“Don’t bother,” he shot back. 

“Now _what_ has gotten into you?” Castiel stopped on the fifth stair. 

“Gotten into _me_? What’s gotten into _you_? Since when did you care about my future? Or me at all for that matter?” he shot back, “Oh, that’s right, you only care about _controlling_ me!” 

“That is not true!” Naomi argued. 

“Oh yeah? Name _one_ thing about me that isn’t going on my resume. What’s my favorite color? My favorite sport? Who’s my best friend? What’s my favorite meal? Can you answer any of those?” Castiel snapped. Naomi looked taken aback. 

“I’m not here to be your best friend,” Naomi started. 

“I wish you weren’t here at all!” 

“What’s going on?” Bartholowmew called out, coming out of his bedroom and heading towards the commotion. 

“Ask your wife,” Castiel said bitterly, moving towards his bedroom. His father shot out a hand and stopped him before he could. 

“Hey, now. What’s this all about?” Bart asked gently, placing both hands on his son’s shoulders. 

“Castiel earned a C on his calculus test,” Naomi explained from the bottom of the stairs. 

“Oh? On that hard one your teacher was warning you about? Good job!” Bartholomew congratulated. Castiel let out a breath that might’ve been called a laugh. Anna let out a small, amused squeak from the living room. Naomi guffawed and marched up a couple of steps. 

“You’re congratulating him on a _C_?” 

“Well, he said the teacher told the class that this was going to be a really hard test,” his father reasoned, “I’m proud of him for doing as well as he did. As long as it didn’t bring his overall grade down too much,” Bart looked at his son for confirmation. Castiel quickly shook his head, confirming that his overall grade was still an A. 

“You’re not even a little bit concerned about where he is all the time? Maybe that’s why he didn’t have time to study,” Naomi pointed out. 

“He’s a senior in high school,” Bart defended, “I was _never_ home when I was his age. At least he’s not getting into any trouble. You’re not, are you?” he double-checked with Cas. The boy gave another shake of his head.

Naomi scoffed and threw up her hands. “Sure, fine! I show an _ounce_ of concern and now _I’m_ the bad guy,” she deflected. Bartholomew descended the rest of the stairs to comfort his wife. 

“You’re not the bad guy,” he assured her. 

“Well, I just tried to talk to Castiel about the test, and he accused me of not caring about him!”

“Because you don’t-”

“I’m sure that’s not true-” the boys said in unison. 

Bart turned around and gave his son a pleading look. Castiel refused to feel bad for Naomi. 

“I told you _both_ at dinner last week that that test was going to be difficult, but I guess it went in one ear and out the other! She doesn’t care about me or anything that I’m interested in, so why should she get to care about one stupid test?” 

“Because I am your parent! And parents are not supposed to be best friends with their children, they are supposed to give them guidelines and rules so they don’t grow up to be whiny freeloaders,” Naomi reasoned. 

“It looks like _your_ parents failed at that,” Castiel retorted. He meant it, but he really probably shouldn’t have said it. 

“Castiel,” his father warned. 

“See?” Naomi said, “he has absolutely no respect for me-”

“Because you don’t deserve it!” Castiel slung back. “When have you ever done _anything_ that would make me have respect for you? All you’ve done for me was make my life a living HELL since the moment you started seeing my father!”

“ _Castiel!_ ” Bartholomew barked, startling the boy. “That’s enough,” he said, his tone more gentle than before. Naomi went back to the kitchen in a huff, muttering something under her breath. Bart looked at his son and shook his head disapprovingly. 

“We’ll talk later. Go to your room,” he instructed, his tone defeated. Castiel did as he was told and went to his room. 

Once inside he let out a deep breath. He looked down and noticed his hands were trembling. He didn’t regret a word he said to Naomi, but he hated the look his father had on his face when he told him to go to his room. Castiel was not looking forward to the “talk” they were going to have. 

⚣

By the time Bartholomew came back upstairs, Castiel had sprawled out on his bed, lost in thought.

The teen could smell the aroma of dinner wafting through his bedroom door once his father opened it. He cursed himself for not grabbing a snack earlier. His stomach also scolded him, and he willed it to shut up. He was not about to sit down with Naomi and share a meal. He’d simply wait until she went to bed before sneaking downstairs and reheating the leftovers. 

Bartholomew sighed and took a seat at the foot of his son’s bed. 

“She’s not the devil, you know,” Bart started, trying to make these two see eye to eye for once in their tumultuous relationship. Castiel huffed and rolled his eyes. He pulled his legs up in front of himself and placed his folded arms on top of his legs. He didn’t want to look at his father right now. 

“I know she might be on your case, especially about school, but she’s just looking out for you,” Bart reasoned. “She’s hard on you about your grades because she wants you to get into a good school.”

“She wasn’t this hard on Michael,” Castiel pointed out, muffled slightly by his arms. The teen looked up when he heard his father laugh. 

“Are you kidding? Don’t you remember Michael’s ACT prep? I don’t think she let him out of the house for a week!” Castiel was confused. He doesn’t remember Naomi being a part of that at all. 

“You don’t think Michael would’ve rather spent time with his friends than studying for that test?” his father speculated. Of course, Castiel remembered Michael commandeering the kitchen table that week, but Cas just thought his brother was taking it seriously himself. He didn’t know Naomi was breathing down his neck.

“Yeah, I guess,” Cas agreed. He still wasn’t willing to forgive Naomi. So what if she also did this to Michael? That still didn’t make it ok. 

“So what’s the issue?” his father asked gently. Castiel looked his father directly in the eye, not even sure what he was searching for. 

“I don’t know. I just...I don’t like how she’s always on my case,” the teen explained, “and like...she pretends to care that I’m not home all that often. I’m sorry that I have a life? And I don’t know why she would care,” he tacked on _other than that she wants to control me_ in his head.

His father seemed to ponder that for a moment. 

“Maybe she just wants to see more of you. You know that Michael left for college pretty quickly after she arrived, so maybe she’s trying to get closer with you.” 

“Yeah, right,” Castiel replied sarcastically, “because we get along _so well_ when we’re actually in the same room.”

“Maybe she’s trying to change that,” Bart wagered, “why don’t you come downstairs and have dinner at the table with us.” 

“So she can just lecture me again? I’ll pass.”

“Castiel,” his father pleaded, “I’m only asking for one meal.” 

Castiel sighed deeply. It really wasn’t too difficult of a request. He could eat one meal with her, especially if his father, Michael, and Anna were there as a buffer. Maybe Bart was right; maybe Naomi was trying to reach out and get to know him. Castiel couldn’t say that he loved her method of doing so, but maybe one meal wouldn’t be so bad after all. He was just about to agree when his phone vibrated next to him on the bed. 

“Who’s that?” his father asked. Cas looked at his phone and saw a text from Dean. He panicked slightly, not sure if he should lie or tell the truth. It’s not like his father knew who Dean was. 

Castiel paused at that thought; he’d been dating Dean for almost six months, and his father didn’t even know he existed! 

Castiel silently cursed Naomi. He cursed her for coming into his life and ruining it. He cursed her for making him feel like an outsider to his own family. He cursed her for feigning concern when he knew she was just after control. And he cursed her the most for making him hide this part of his life. For creating an environment where he couldn’t even tell his own father about the love of his life!

“It’s...just a friend,” Castiel replied. “I’m actually not that hungry. I think I’m gonna turn in for the night.” His father gave him a concerned look, obviously not completely convinced. Bart was a teenage boy once, and he doesn’t think he could remember a single moment when he _wasn’t_ hungry. 

“Ok,” Bart finally acquiesced, “but if you change your mind, you know where to find us,” he stood up and clapped his hand on his son’s knee before making his exit. 

Castiel sat there for a long moment before he remembered the text. He picked up his phone and read it. 

_> >> Hey, can we talk? -Dean_

Castiel’s blood ran ice cold. No one ever had good news after those three words. Was Dean about to break up with him? Was he getting frustrated that they had to keep their relationship a secret? Castiel couldn’t blame him, he’s not sure how long he’d be ok with being someone’s dirty little secret, either. It was just that...he couldn’t come out yet! He couldn’t be sure how Naomi would react. She might kick him out and cut him off. He couldn’t even imagine not having a home, not seeing his father. And besides, Cas had told Dean at the very beginning that they’d have to keep it a secret. It’s not like he lied to Dean! This was so unfair! He couldn’t lose Dean, not right now. He would be completely and utterly alone. No doubt Charlie and Sam would take Dean’s side. And Alfie, too. Cas would have to start completely over. 

_> >> You there? -Dean_

Castiel jumped when his phone vibrated again. He pulled up Dean’s contact and called him, wiping away tears he wasn’t aware were there. 

_“Hey, Cas, I-”_

“Please don’t break up with me!” Cas blurted out. 

_“Umm...what?”_

“You said that you wanted to ‘talk’, which everyone knows is code for ‘I want to break up’, but please, don’t. I-I can, I can tell my dad. About us. I can-”

_“Cas, I’m not going to make you out yourself. What are you talking about? And I’m not breaking up with you!”_

They were both silent for a long time. 

_“Cas, what’s going on?”_

Castiel took a shaky breath. 

“You’re not breaking up with me?” he could feel the tears steadily streaming down his face, but he couldn’t be bothered to wipe them away. 

_“Why on Earth would I do that?”_

“I-I don’t know. Maybe you got tired of being a secret?” Castiel chanced, biting his lower lip. 

_“Cas, that’s ridiculous. What’s going on? Are you ok? You sound like you’re crying.”_

Castiel let out a wet laugh. He didn’t know what was happening. 

_“Do I need to come get you or something? I can meet you at the park or wherever. C’mon, babe, talk to me.”_

“Dean,” Castiel whimpered, “I’m...sorry,” is all Cas could muster. 

_“Sorry? For what? Cas, you don’t have to be sorry.”_

“We should break up.”

Silence.

_“Cas. Cas, no, we shouldn’t.”_

“Dean, I-”

_“No. Listen to me. We are not breaking up, Cas. Not like this. I love you, and I don’t know if something happened between you and Naomi or what, but I’m not letting you do this.”_

Castiel broke down crying. He couldn’t even hold his phone. He let it drop to the bed before he contracted even further into himself. He heard Dean’s voice faintly from where his phone had landed. Castiel grabbed a pillow and sobbed into it. 

He didn’t want that. He didn’t want to break up with Dean; that’s the exact _opposite_ of what he wanted! What was wrong with him? He lifted his head from the pillow and frantically searched for his phone. 

“Dean? Dean! Please, no. I don’t. I don’t want that. I don’t. Please. Please, I don’t. Please!” In reality, it took Dean only one second to reply, but it felt like an entire month to Cas.

_“Ok,” Dean said simply, “Cas, you’re ok. We’re ok.”_

“Dean, I don’t know why I said that. I don’t...I don’t want to break up. I love you, too. I don’t know why I said that.” 

_“Hey, shhh. It’s ok. I can head over there right now,”_ Dean offered. 

“I-” Cas wanted to have Dean’s arms around him more than anything in the world right now, but it was too risky. Cas didn’t think he could climb down the tree to see Dean, and there was no way Dean was coming into the house when Naomi was home. “That’s...I can’t. Dean, Naomi’s home, I’m-” he pulled the phone away from himself and choked off another sob into his pillow.

 _“That’s ok. That’s fine, Cas. I just wanna make sure you’re ok,”_ Dean said, his voice tinny and far away. 

“I’m not ok, Dean,” Cas said weakly, too quiet for Dean to catch with his phone so far away from his mouth. 

_“Cas? Are you there? You ok?”_

Castiel put his phone back up to his ear. “Mhmm,” he replied. He knew his voice would betray him if he tried to speak actual words.

He stared at the wall opposite his bed blankly for what felt like hours. At some point, he had hung up and dropped his phone somewhere on the bed. Castiel didn’t know what was going on. What had just happened? 

“Cas?”

The boy nearly jumped out of his skin at the voice in his room. Anna walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge. She studied his face with concern, searching for what to say. 

Cas stared back, taking in her fiery red hair and soft, warm features. The boy didn’t know why, but he reached out and hugged Anna. He clung on for dear life, not aware of how desperately he needed physical contact. She took it in stride, wrapping her arms around him. After a few moments, Castiel collected himself and pulled away. 

“Sorry,” he whispered, his voice not quite operational. 

“Not a problem,” she replied gently, reaching over to the box of tissues on the nightstand. She handed one to Cas. There was an elephant in the room the size of Kansas. How much of his conversation had she heard? If she heard a lot, would she keep it a secret for Cas? Would she even be ok with it? Would he have to worry about receiving a lecture from her, as well? 

“How long were you out there?” Castiel chanced, not willing to leave it unsaid for a moment longer. 

“Since ‘Dean...I love you’,” she replied, nervousness showing through her eyes as well. Why on earth was Anna nervous? She wasn’t the teenage boy obviously talking to his _male boy_ friend. 

“Oh,” Castiel replied, “fuck,” he added under his breath. Anna took his hands and gave them a gentle squeeze. 

“Cas, I-”

“Anna? Where’d you run off to?” Michael's voice came from the top of the stairs. Soon enough, the older Novak brother walked into Cas' room to find his girlfriend sitting on his brother’s bed. His brother that had obviously been crying. “What’s going on?” 

“Michael, Cas and I were-”

“Michael, I’m gay,” Castiel revealed. Anna’s eyes widened and she squeezed his hands tighter. He was done. He was done hiding who he was. The circumstances weren’t ideal, but he was tired of keeping it a secret. Let the chips fall where they may. Dean would not be his dirty little secret any more. 

“Castiel, don’t be ridiculous,” Michael tried to reason. Cas let go of Anna’s hands and stood from his bed. 

“I’m not being ridiculous. I’m telling you who I am.”

“I thought you’d grown out of this. Castiel, please. I know dad said that this dinner was optional, but it’s not. Come downstairs and eat; it’s Christmas Eve for God’s sake!” He looked at Anna, and she stood up from the bed and walked towards him. 

“We’ll be down in a second,” she said, shooing Michael out of the room. Turning to the younger Novak brother, she took a few steps in his direction. Her voice low, she started, “Castiel, I-” she hesitated, internal turmoil clearly showing in her green eyes as they darted to the side, “...I’ll see you at dinner,” she said finally, putting a hand on his shoulder. She gave it a gentle squeeze before following her boyfriend down to the kitchen. 

Castiel braced himself. This was it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please keep your hands and feet inside the ride at all times (it's about to get wild)


	23. Will You Risk the Hostile Stare?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> throws chapter at you and runs away

Castiel took a deep breath. He wiped any trace of tears from his eyes and stood up straight. He was actually doing this. The cat was out of the bag, and no doubt this was about to be one of the most important meals of his life. 

He walked out of his bedroom, and his heart was beating a mile a minute. He could’ve sworn someone could have actually _seen it_ trying to beat out of his chest. He took the stairs one by one and eventually found himself in the kitchen. 

Naomi sat at one end of the table, Bartholomew at the other. Michael was to Naomi’s left, and Anna sat next to Michael, leaving the last open seat across from the young couple. 

“Castiel,” Bartholomew said cheerily as the teen took his seat. The teen dared a glance at his brother, who was staring daggers at him. There was no room for argument in those eyes; Castiel was _not_ to repeat what he had told Michael. 

The family all joined hands and said grace as per Naomi’s wishes. Castiel didn’t utter a word, barely tolerating Naomi’s hand in his own. He made eye contact with Anna, who gave him a nervous, yet reassuring smile. They ate in relative ease, Castiel biding his time by filling his stomach. If he was about to be kicked out of his house, at least he wouldn’t go hungry.

The others made idle small talk, Michael filling in Naomi about work and Anna discussing some obscure podcast she and Bartholomew both happened to listen to. Castiel remained silent. The whole dinner felt surreal. Here they were, sitting at the dinner table, looking for all the world like a normal family enjoying their peaceful Christmas Eve dinner. But they weren’t a normal family, and this wasn’t going to stay a peaceful meal much longer. Castiel was about to burst at the seams. 

“Dad,” Castiel said, finally joining in on the conversation. Michael leveled him a glare, warning him not to say exactly what he was about to say. “Remember earlier when I said it was just a friend who had texted me?” he asked. Michael shook his head. 

“Castiel, there’s no need to bring up text messages at the dinner table,” Michael deflected, trying to steer the conversation back into safer territory.

“This is important,” Castiel replied, challenging his brother with a look. Cas wiped his sweaty hands on his jeans and realized that he had left his phone upstairs. He cursed himself for doing that, but he wasn’t about to go retrieve it.

“Yes, I remember” his father answered, blissfully unaware of the tension currently thickening between his sons, “what about it?”

“Well, I lied about who it was.”

“I don’t think it’s all that important who you were texting,” Michael insisted, “This is a family dinner, we should be presently enjoying each others’ company.” Their father brushed Michael’s comment off.

“You lied? Why?” Bartholomew asked. 

“That wasn’t just a friend. It was my boyfriend,” Cas admitted. He swallowed thickly. There it was. Out in the open. 

“Your _boy_ friend?” Bart asked, genuinely confused. Naomi laughed from the head of the table. 

“Of course you would ruin my beautiful meal with something as foul as that,” Naomi spat, her eyes deadly. 

Castiel was glued to his chair, unable to move or speak. He had no idea what was coming next. For once in his short time around Naomi, he had no comeback. No one-liner. No defense. 

“Everyone, could you excuse us for a moment?” Naomi asked, keeping the facade of politeness even though Castiel knew the only reason she was excusing them was so she could do or say something wicked. Anna looked at Cas nervously, and the boy tried pleading with her to stay, but Michael took her hand and led them away. Once it was just the two of them, Naomi started her lecture. 

“Where did I go wrong?” she asked aloud, looking towards the heavens as if she were asking God himself. She slowly stood up, her hands placed on the table like some sort of comic book villain. Castiel would’ve laughed if he weren’t so utterly terrified. Why did she dismiss everyone else? What was she about to do?

“Is that where you’ve been all this time? With _him_?” she asked, the pronoun coming off her tongue like spoiled milk. Castiel didn’t justify it with an answer. They both knew the truth. 

“I should’ve known,” she continued, “I thought you’d have grown out of that phase by now. Michael told me about your _little friend_ , back in Chicago. I guess I thought you were smarter than this. My mistake.”

Castiel clenched his jaw. _I will not react_ repeating in his head like a mantra. He wouldn’t give her the satisfaction. He wouldn’t give her the excuse of ‘self-defense’ if this got ugly.

“Well, needless to say, you won’t be seeing him anymore. You won’t be seeing anyone. You’re not leaving this house for a long time, Castiel. You know, I have half a mind to ship you off to boarding school, but what would that prove? I’d just be providing you with a paradise of boys twenty-four-seven. I’m sure you’d love that, huh?” 

Castiel was seeing red. _I will not react._ Where the fuck did she get off, telling him any of this? He wasn’t even going to _begin_ to think about how messed up her boarding-school comment was. He kept his eyes trained on the stove across the room. _I will not react_. 

“You know, I tried,” she went on, “I tried guiding you away from that lifestyle. I guess I was too late introducing you to God. You were already too far gone.”

_I will not react._

“It’s a shame your mother failed you like that.”

_I will-_

“You have _no right_ to talk about my mother!” Something inside him snapped. Naomi could degrade and abuse Castiel to her heart’s content, but under no uncertain circumstances would he allow her to speak ill of his mother. He’d had enough of Naomi’s bullshit. “And I'm GAY, Naomi! It’s not a lifestyle, I didn’t _choose_ to fall in love with Dean! But I’m fucking elated that I did, and that I’m lucky enough that he loves me back! Who are you to stand there and lecture me about love? At least there’s someone out there who genuinely fucking cares about me! I’m not so sure you could say the same,” Castiel snapped, finding his voice. He stood up sharply, causing his chair to fly out behind him. "Castiel James Novak, you will _never_ use that language in front of me again!" She yelled. "What language? Fuck? Because fuck you Naomi! I'm _fucking_ gay and there's not one single _fucking_ thing you can do about it!" He yelled right back. She came around from her side of the table and got very close to Castiel. 

“You will not disrespect me in this house. I have put a roof over your head and food in your stomach for years!”

“My dad could’ve done that himself! I don’t have to listen to you,” he tossed back.

“You are seventeen. That means you _do_ have to listen to me.”

“That’s bullshit and we both know it! I won’t let you stand there and lecture me about falling in love. So what if it’s with a man? I’m not ashamed of that! I’m only ashamed I let you stand in the way of me telling my dad,” Castiel said. Naomi clicked her tongue disapprovingly. 

"I knew there was something deeply wrong with you. You are a disgusting faggot," she spat out. "You are a disgrace to this family and I will not tolerate it," Naomi hissed. "I will teach you a lesson if it takes _beating_ the gay out of you! I will not raise a _homosexual_ under this roof," she threatened. "I'd rather be raised by wolves than a cunt like you," Cas retorted. 

Naomi grabbed a serving plate, strewing its contents across the table. She raised it up and brought it down swiftly over Cas' head. Castiel let out a shout and fell to the floor, trying to scoot as far away from Naomi as possible, but not really succeeding. He could hear noise coming from somewhere else, but it played second fiddle to Naomi’s temper. His thoughts were a jumbled mess, and the dining room was rapidly beginning to blur. 

"I demand respect in this house, not some misguided queer insulting me!" she bellowed, striking her step-son once again, this time catching his cheek. He turned over to cradle his face. She delivered her final blow to the back of his head before smashing the plate on her pristine hardwood floor, turning on her heel, and marching upstairs.

The teen was aware of warm hands on his shoulders, his head. He recoiled away from them; he didn’t want to be touched. He got up unsteadily, using the wall to prop himself up. Someone was trying to talk to him, but he couldn’t concentrate. He could still hear Naomi’s voice somewhere in the house. He had to get out. He couldn’t be there a second longer. 

He made a beeline for the back door, disregarding anyone or anything that tried to stop him. He made his way towards the park, and that’s all he could remember before passing out. 

⚣

_“Mhmm,”_ Cas replied, obviously _not_ ok. Dean cursed and tried to talk to Cas, but it was clear that his boyfriend wasn’t listening. Eventually, he hung up. 

Dean went back upstairs to watch TV with Sam and his mom. Apparently, his mood showed on his face, because Mary was on him as soon as he sat down. 

“Dean? Is something wrong?” she asked. Sam turned towards his brother expectantly. 

Dean rolled his eyes and let out a gruff, “‘m fine,” his family didn’t believe him for a second, but they decided to give him some space.

Suppertime rolled around, and Mary had her boys help her out in the kitchen. They were just throwing together an easy pasta dish, saving themselves for all the cooking to be done tomorrow. Dean sent Cas a quick text, making sure he was ok. 

They each grabbed a plateful and sat down to eat. Sam chattered on excitedly about what he got Alfie for Christmas, and how he was anxious to see what Alfie got him. Mary smiled at her youngest, but noticed Dean still looking rather sullen. 

“Dean,” she prompted gently, bringing his mind to join them at the dinner table. He looked up from his phone and sheepishly pocketed it, knowing Mary’s rule about cell phones at the table. 

“What’s going on?” she chanced, hoping he’d be ready to explain his mood now. She was confused, Cas had been here a few hours ago and everything seemed normal. Happy, even. Which was a feat for two teenage boys stuck at home for the holidays. 

Dean took a deep breath and stabbed at his food. 

“Nothing. It’s just. I’m worried...about Cas,” he admitted, not taking his eyes off of his plate. 

“Why’s that?” Mary asked. 

“Well...I called him earlier, to see if he was free at all tomorrow to hang out and exchange gifts, and he was acting kinda weird, and it sounded like he’d been crying,” Dean explained. He was consciously omitting the almost-breakup from his retelling. No harm, no foul; and he didn’t need his family thinking poorly of Cas. 

“Is he ok?” Sam asked, concern evident on his face. Dean sighed. 

“I-I don’t know. I texted him when we started making dinner, and he hasn’t even opened it.” 

“Maybe he’s having dinner with his family and he can’t look at his phone,” Mary proposed. Dean nodded his head from side to side, not thoroughly convinced of that theory. 

“I don’t know. Something doesn’t feel right,” he replied. He took his phone out and checked it again. Nothing from Cas. 

“I...I think I’m gonna head over there. At least drive by, make sure everything’s ok,” Dean said, standing up. 

“I’ll go with you,” Sam offered, standing as well. 

“Um, yeah, sure,” Dean agreed, a little preoccupied playing scenario after scenario of what could’ve happened to Cas. What could _be happening_ to Cas. Mary tried to protest, given that it was Christmas Eve, but she really couldn’t muster up the energy to argue. It was completely plausible something happened to Cas, and she was proud of her son for being concerned and so willing to help. 

The boys got into the Impala, and Dean started the drive to Cas' house. He really didn’t have a game plan. It’s not like he could walk up to the front door and ring the bell. Wouldn’t that be interesting? _“Um, yeah. You don’t know me, but I’m here to check up on Castiel, my secret gay boyfriend who I’m worried you might’ve harmed. It smells wonderful, by the way!”_ Yeah, right. 

At the same time all too soon, and not soon enough, Dean was pulling into Cas' neighborhood. He decided to pass by the front of the house and then go to the park around back. 

The initial drive-by yielded no results. Dean saw the lights on the main floor were on, and there was an extra car in the driveway, but that was it. He supposed the car was Michael’s; Cas had told him about their arrival the other day. At least Cas got to keep his bedroom this time. The bedroom which appeared dark from the street. 

Dean circled around to the park and cut his engine. It was a cold night, but his Baby was loud, and he didn’t want to annoy any of the neighbors. He could see that the kitchen light was on and could make out some movement behind the windows. The park was too far away to really see anything. 

Just as Dean was about to start the car back up and head home, the back door swung open and a figure stumbled out. It only took a few moments to recognize that figure as his boyfriend. Dean practically leapt out of the car and sprinted towards the house. He didn’t dare get too close, not entirely sure who was in the kitchen, or why Cas had come outside. 

Cas staggered off the back patio and towards where Dean was standing in the snow. Dean could see blood trickling down Cas' face as his boyfriend got closer. Dean damned anyone who might see him and rushed to Cas' side. 

“Cas! Cas? What happened?” he asked. His boyfriend looked at him, but Dean couldn’t see anything in his eyes. They even fluttered closed as Cas collapsed into the snow. 

Dean grabbed one arm and lifted him up, Sam appearing seemingly out of nowhere to grab Cas' other arm. The brothers made eye contact and brought Cas to the Impala. They laid him down in the backseat and Dean tossed his keys to Sam. 

“I’m fourteen!” Sam squeaked, not knowing what to do with the keys. 

“And I’ve been showing you the ropes in the parking lot after school. It’s a five minute drive home, no major roads. You can do it,” Dean said, climbing into the back and putting his boyfriend’s unconscious and bloody head into his lap. 

With trembling hands, Sam started the car and pulled out of the park, stopping and starting very harshly. 

“Sammy, deep breath. Keep her smooth. You got this,” Dean coached from the back. He didn’t know what to do, but he was certain a bumpy ride would not help them at all. 

In no time, they parked in the driveway of the Winchester house and the boys propped Cas up between them.

“Mom,” Dean yelled as they clambered through the front door, “Mom!” he repeated, freaking out about the last fifteen minutes. 

“What? What’s go-” she stopped mid sentence when she saw the boys. “Bring him up here, set him on the couch,” she instructed, rushing to the bathroom to find the first-aid kit. When she got to the living room, Cas was lying unconscious, blood trickling down his forehead. She took the gauze out and handed it to Dean.

“Apply pressure to the cut, but don’t move his head,” she instructed. She opened a pack of sterile wipes and cleaned the drying blood off of his face. She checked him for any other injuries, but found none. Cas was without shoes and his socks were soaking wet, but as she peeled off his socks, she didn’t see any signs of frostbite. She took the gauze out of her son’s hand and starting to clean the cut. 

“Sam, can you grab the heating pad from my room and some tylenol? Dean, go get a blanket and an ice pack,” she ordered. Nurse-mode was kicking in. 

She patched Cas up, and had his feet under the heating pad for a few minutes, just to be safe. 

“Dean, we have to take him to the hospital,” Mary said gently.

Dean shook his head. “No. No way, absolutely not. They’ll call his dad and then Noami will know where he is and-”

“Dean,” Mary coaxed, “Dean, I know this is scary, but Castiel could be in serious trouble. He needs a head CT, and unfortunately, we do not have that equipment here.”

Dean just shook his head and squeezed Cas' hand. He knew his mom was right, she was a nurse for god’s sake! But he just didn’t want Naomi anywhere near him. 

Mary rubbed her son’s back, but insisted on going to the hospital. 

“I can see what I can do about his emergency contact. I could probably ask someone to delay that step for a few hours, at least until we know more. Gwen does owe me a favor,” she told Dean. The boy finally nodded and they moved Cas back to the car. 

Sam demanded he go along, too. Mary agreed and soon enough, they were pulling up to the emergency room. Mary parked the car in the bay and rushed inside to grab a gurney and a doctor. 

As she suspected, Gwen was on duty.

“Hey, I’ve got a TBI on a seventeen year old boy. He’s been unconscious for about half an hour. He needs a gurney and a CT, asap,” she said. Gwen jumped into action and they rolled a bed out to the car. They got Cas on it and wheeled him in. Mary instructed Dean to take Sam and park the car. After that, they were to go straight to the waiting room and sit tight. 

“I’m gonna need his emergency contact,” Gwen stated after they had sent Cas off for his CT scan. Mary nodded her head and bit her lip. 

“About that...could that wait? It’s a delicate situation and-”

“Do you suspect abuse?” Gwen asked. Mary opened her mouth and closed it again. 

“Mary, I’ll have to call CPS if you-”

“Gwen,” she interrupted, “I know the protocol. I’m asking for a favor. He’s not going anywhere, just...let me sort that stuff out, ok? I don’t know anything for sure.” Gwen shook her head. 

“Mary, I-”

“Gwen. Please. You owe me a favor after last week’s you-know-what,” Mary said, giving Gwen a pointed look. The other nurse raised her hands in surrender. 

“Ok, I’ll leave it up to you. But I’m not taking any heat for it,” she warned, turning around and heading back towards the front desk. 

About thirty minutes later, Castiel was in his own room after having completed the scan. He was still unconscious, but the three Winchesters were keeping him company anyway.

Dean sat in a chair next to Cas' bed, a million and one thoughts all racing through his head. He was _so angry_. Downright furious! Who the fuck did Naomi think she was? He just _knew_ this was because of her. He didn’t know if she was the one who struck him, but he knew she was responsible. If Dean saw her right now, he’s not entirely sure he could restrain himself. 

He clenched his jaw and forced himself to think about something else. 

After a while, Cas started groaning. Dean leapt from his chair to Cas' side. He grabbed his boyfriend’s hand.

“Cas?” 

The teen slowly opened his eyes, very disoriented.

“You’re at the hospital,” Dean said before Cas could ask. “You’re safe,” he tacked on, squeezing his hand. Cas squeezed back weakly, and Dean let out a sigh of relief. 

“He squeezed my hand!” he informed his mom. Mary nodded and brushed the hair off of Cas' forehead. She adjusted the ice pack on his head. 

“Castiel, sweety, can you hear me?” she asked. The boy nodded minutely. “Do you know what day it is?”

“Christmas Eve,” he replied only after a moment. 

“Yep, and do you remember what happened?”

“Um, I was having dinner. Then I came out. Naomi-” he cut himself off. Yes, he remembered, but he wasn’t quite ready to relive it. Mary nodded her head and gave him a gentle smile. 

“Do you feel nauseous at all?” she asked. Cas tried to shake his head, but decided very quickly that that was a bad idea. He was very sore. 

“Um, a little? I’m fine though,” he answered. 

“Ok,” she replied, “there's a bucket over here in case that changes.”

Castiel brought his hand up to examine the injury. He remembered Naomi hitting him with a...something. His head was tender, and he groaned when he put too much pressure on it. Mary gently took his hand away from his head. 

“Can you take this?” she asked, handing Cas some tylenol and a glass of water. He gulped it down immediately. 

“Wait, you came out?” Dean asked, finally catching up with the conversation. 

“Um...yeah,” Cas replied, “I think they took it pretty well,” he joked. Dean surprised himself with a laugh. How the hell was Cas making a joke about that at a time like this? Dean tucked his chin to his chest and wiped away a tear before it could fall. He gave his boyfriend a watery smile. Dean noticed a bruise starting to form on Cas' cheek. He couldn’t even imagine Mary doing something this wretched.

“Do you, uh,” Dean cleared his throat, “need more water?” he took the cup and went out into the hallway before Cas could reply. He just couldn’t look at his boyfriend any longer. Not without breaking down himself. And he needed to be strong; Cas was the one that needed the support, not Dean. 

He filled up the cup and returned to Cas' room.

“Here you go,” he offered it to his boyfriend. He leaned down and kissed Cas gently on the head before returning to his seat. 

“So, Castiel, we’re at a sort of crossroads here,” Mary said, “there’s quite a few options you can take, and depending on your results, you might not have too much time to make them.”

Castiel took in what Mary was saying and nodded his head. “Yeah, ok. What are they?” 

“Well, for starters, since you are a minor, you’re going to have to contact a parent or guardian about this little visit,” Mary started. 

Castiel’s face crumpled. 

“C-Can’t you be my guardian? I don’t..I-”

“I’m sorry, Castiel, but you’re not on my insurance. I know this situation is delicate for you. If I could, I’d list you as my own, but I’m afraid that’s not how this works. If you have someone you trust, it doesn’t necessarily have to be a parent. Do you have a sibling, or a close neighbor? Anyone you can contact that would be safe?” 

Castiel thought about it and nodded his head.

“Y-yeah! Anna. She’s my brother’s girlfriend, she could get the insurance card or whatever and...yeah.”

“Ok! Do you have Anna’s number?” 

Castiel nodded, and reached into his pants pocket to find it empty. Then, he remembered that he had left his phone in his room before dinner. He brought his hands to his face to conceal the tear or two that slipped out. 

“I-I left my phone in my room. I don’t know her number, I-”

“Hey, that’s ok,” Mary soothed, “It’s ok, we have a little time, it’s ok. Depending on the CT results, they might have to keep you a couple days. I can hold the contact stuff off for a little while, but you might want to think about some alternate solutions,” Mary suggested. 

“Boys,” she prompted her sons, nodding her head towards the hallway. The teens got up and went to talk to their mom. Once the door closed behind them, Mary turned to her eldest. 

“Dean, I want you to take Sam back home and go to bed,” she instructed. 

“No! I’m not leaving Cas here, are you nuts? I-”

“Dean, this is not up for debate. I’m telling you. Take Sam and go home. Try to get some sleep. I’ll call you if anything changes. Cas seems to be fine, and we should get the results soon. Now, go,” she commanded, thrusting the keys into Dean’s hand. He took them reluctantly and stormed off towards the parking lot, Sam scrambling to catch up. 

“And text me when you get back!” she called after them. She took a deep breath and brought her hand to her forehead. Boy, did she have quite the mess on her hands. 

“I left everything there,” Cas blurted out, once Mary had reentered the room, “my phone, my wallet, my fucking _shoes_ ,” he covered his mouth when he realized that he’d just sworn in front of Mary. 

“I’ll let that one slide,” she said with a wink. How on earth could she admonish him at a time like this? “You can get that stuff later. Tonight, your main priority is your health. She got you pretty good,” Mary placed a hand on Cas' good side of his head and examined the wounds more closely, “I’m assuming this was Naomi’s work.” 

Castiel nodded as much as he could with Mary’s hand on his cheek. She turned his head gently this way and that, her concern for Cas causing the teen to break down into tears. 

Only then did it hit him. _Really_ hit him for the first time that _he came out_. He did it. 

Now what?


	24. When the Road Looks Rough Ahead

Anna awoke early Christmas morning. Usually, she’d be jumping out of bed, waking the house up with exclaims of _“It’s Christmas!”_

This particular Christmas, however, she was not quite in the holiday spirit. She checked her phone, noting that it was only a quarter past five. Michael usually got up around 6:30. 

She sat up and collected herself. How could she have let that happen last night? She should’ve stayed at the table. She should’ve rushed back in when the yelling started. She should’ve downright tackled Naomi when she heard Castiel’s shriek. She should’ve chased after the teen once he’d left.

She dragged her hands down her face and shook those feelings off. Carefully, so as not to wake Michael, she peeled back the covers and padded to the bathroom. She couldn’t imagine how scared Castiel must be right now. She had no clue where he was or how he was doing. She had to clean up the fragmented plate herself, and she knew that thing was sturdy, having dropped it accidentally when she helped Naomi set the table. 

She needed to know he was safe, but she had no idea where to start. She barely knew the kid! They’d only had a handful of conversations, none of them very telling about where he would go in a crisis. After a few minutes of consideration, she decided to go up to his room. Maybe she’d find something there that could help her. 

She silently tiptoed her way past Naomi and Bartholomew’s bedroom to Castiel’s. After gently closing the door behind her, she flicked on the lights. Flinching at their brightness, she walked towards the bed. She noticed a phone sitting on the covers. 

Had Castiel actually left his phone here? Come to think of it, he’d stormed out of there without his jacket. Or even his shoes! She hoped more than ever that he was somewhere safe, not frozen in some ditch. 

She grabbed the phone and stared at the lock screen. The passcode was a simple four-digit number. She raked her brain for anything Castiel might’ve told her that would hint at his passcode. 

When she came up empty, she swiped right, pulling up his notifications. She scrolled down and could’ve squealed when she saw he had Dean as one of his ‘favorites’ on speed dial. She clicked the icon and sat on the edge of the bed. 

_“Hello,”_ came a gruff voice. 

“Um, I’m sorry it’s so early but...this is Dean right?” 

_“Who’s asking?”_

“Anna. I’m looking for Castiel. He left his phone here, and I’m worried about him. Is he with you?” 

_“Anna? Michael’s girlfriend?”_ Anna assumed she was speaking to Dean, who let out a short laugh, _“why would I tell you if I knew where he was? So you could tell Michael and have him cart Cas back to Naomi? I don’t think so.”_

“Dean, please, it’s not like that. I just want to know he’s safe. You don’t even have to tell me where he is,” she waited a long moment before he replied. 

_“He’s safe.”_

“Thank you so much! I-I know you must think the worst things about me, but, Dean, I in no way wanted this for Castiel. I just, I want to help. In any way I can. I can drop off his stuff. His phone, his jacket, a pair of shoes, anything! I promise I won’t tell Naomi or anyone about it. I feel awful about last night. I should’ve-” she cut herself off. She took a deep breath, “just let me make it up to him,” she pleaded. 

She thought he’d hung up until she heard what sounded like the rustling of covers. 

_“Meet me in the Lawrence High parking lot.”_ With that, the line went dead. Anna nodded to herself and started gathering up things she thought Castiel might need. She found a duffel bag in the closet and packed his phone, charger, laptop, and keys. She threw in some extra clothes and his toothbrush before making her way back downstairs. She grabbed his coat and his shoes and shoved them in. 

Right before she reached out to open the front door, she noticed she was still in pajamas. She cursed and slipped back into the guest room to put on more weather-appropriate attire. After pulling on her boots, she grabbed Michael’s keys out of the bowl in the entryway and made her way towards Lawrence High. 

She pulled into the parking lot, noting a single, black car parked under one of the lamps. She approached it, willing to wage a hefty amount that that car belonged to Dean. She had a fleeting thought that this looked an awful lot like a drug deal. 

Anna cut the engine and got out of the car, opening the backseat to grab Castiel’s things. A teenage boy climbed out of the black...mustang? He was rather tall for a senior, and he had short, dirty blond hair. He was cute; she could see why Castiel liked him so much. 

He stuck out a hand in greeting. She shook it, taken slightly aback by the politeness of this drug deal. 

“Anna? I’m Dean, as you probably guessed.”

“Nice to meet you. I wish it were under better circumstances,” she replied, taking the duffel off her shoulder and handing it to Dean. The boy opened up the trunk and tossed it in. Before he could climb back in his car and drive away, Anna stopped him.

“Hey, wait! I know...you don’t really know me. We’re strangers and _my_ boyfriend’s step-mom just, uh...kicked _your_ boyfriend out. Rather violently. But, Dean…,” Anna hesitated, not quite sure how to phrase everything she wanted to say, “if you need _anything_ else, please let me know,” she said, desperately trying to let Dean know that she was not on Naomi’s side. “And let Castiel know that he has a friend in me. I can keep an eye on his family for him, or grab more clothes, or...anything. I just...I want to _help_ ,” she stressed, hoping that Dean could see or sense her genuineness. 

Dean stared at her for a long moment, seemingly calculating something in his mind. 

“You swear to me you won’t tell Naomi?”

Anna shook her head furiously. “Absolutely not.”

“Follow me,” he instructed before climbing back into his car. She let out a long breath and followed the teen. 

On the ride to...wherever they were going, she realized that she had some difficult decisions to make about the Novak family. Ones she’d rather not make, if she were being honest. Now that she knew Castiel was safe, she had a long talk due between her and Michael. 

She loved Castiel dearly already, and she wanted to stay in his life. But, after what Michael had demonstrated about his own character, she wasn’t on very solid footing about their relationship. She did love Michael; at least, the Michael that wasn’t around Naomi. Whether he knew it or not, the elder Novak son was running out of time to prove to Anna that he was worth sticking around for. 

⚣

Dean pulled into the parking lot of the hospital, waiting as the cherry-red Chevy Cruise parked next to him. He got out of his car and Anna followed suit. 

“Oh, god, is he here? Is he ok?” Anna asked. Dean remained silent and they made their way towards the building. 

Dean led Anna to Castiel’s room and took a deep breath before he opened the door. He sure hoped this was the right call. Cas had said that Anna was a possibility as a safe person to contact, but he wasn’t sure if that extended as a safe person to come see Cas face-to-face. 

Once inside the room, he motioned for her to stay back as he gently woke his boyfriend. 

“Cas? Cas,” he coaxed, gently shaking the teen’s shoulder. Cas opened his heavy eyes to see who had disturbed him. 

“Dean?” 

“Yeah, babe, it’s me. Um...I brought someone,” he said, standing aside so Cas could see the other visitor. 

“Anna? How did you-” Cas could’ve sworn he was having some weird, pain-med induced dream. Anna walked over and gently hugged Castiel. 

“I’m so sorry,” she said, “I’m so, so sorry. I should’ve done something else, I-” she choked up and just continued hugging the teen. 

“What do you need me to do?” she asked after having composed herself.

“Um, I-I think you need to contact my dad...have him deal with the medical...stuff. I don’t really know. But...Anna, please don’t let Naomi know where I am. I can’t...please,” Castiel begged. Anna was quick to assure him that she had absolutely no desire to involve Naomi. 

“Of course. I can talk to Bartholomew and we can figure this out.”

Dean stepped back up to the bed and grabbed Cas' hand. 

“I have to head back to my house...my mom would kill me if she knew I snuck out. Here’s your phone...call or text if you need anything, ok?” he handed the device to his boyfriend. Castiel nodded and took his phone from Dean. 

“Thank you. And, Dean?” Cas said, stopping the boy from walking out, “I love you.” Dean stopped and turned towards his boyfriend. He gave a quick glance between Cas and Anna, assessing her reaction. She was mercifully busying herself with her own phone, giving the boys a sense of privacy. 

Dean walked back over to Cas' side and leaned down, planting a solid kiss to Cas' mouth. 

“I love you, too.”

⚣

Anna gently opened the front door, sending up a prayer that everyone was still asleep. As she removed her jacket and boots, she could hear familiar voices coming from the kitchen. She paused, her entire body as still as stone as she deciphered those voices. They didn’t belong to any of the Novaks. 

She approached the kitchen, a smile starting to form on her face. 

“Anna!” Bartholomew greeted from the stove, where it appeared he was making eggs. 

“Good morning, Bart!” she replied, noting his phone playing the podcast they had discussed last night. 

“Do you want some coffee?” he asked, motioning towards the pot that was brewing. 

“Oh, I’m good, thank you,” she replied, not having much of a taste for coffee.

“That’s right...you’re a tea gal, aren’t you? I’m afraid I don’t know if we have any. You could check the cupboard,” he offered. She waved him off again, scrambling to find the words to say to him. 

How did you tell your boyfriend’s father that his other son was in the hospital because of his new wife and that the son needed his help, but he wasn’t allowed to tell his wife nor his other son, who was dating the person giving him this news? 

She wrestled with her own thoughts for several long seconds, trying desperately to think of even one thing to say to him. 

“Are you ok, Anna?” Bart asked, plating the eggs before taking a few steps towards her. Obviously, her distress had shown on her face. 

“Um, are the others asleep?” she asked.

“Well, I usually make breakfast on Christmas morning. The smell draws the boys out sooner or later. I think I heard Michael hop into the shower a little bit ago, but I don’t know about Castiel. He’s not much of a morning person. Not like Michael, anyway. He should be down soon all the same.”

Anna pinched her brows together.

“Is...should...um,” Anna stuttered. There was a lot to process there. First of all, did Bartholomew think Castiel was in his bedroom? “Down soon? I thought Castiel might’ve, I don’t know, blown off some steam last night after, you know..” she trailed off, carefully judging Bartholomew’s reaction. 

“Oh, yeah. Naomi told me about that. She said they both lost their tempers a bit, and that they got into it again. She told me she had sent him to his room afterwards. I was gonna check on him last night, but Naomi said that he just needed some space,” while explaining this, Bart had poured himself a glass of milk and started buttering the toast that had popped up. 

“Um, Bart,” Anna started, shaking her head, “Castiel isn’t in his bedroom.”

“Oh, did he go for a walk? He does that sometimes...though usually not this early.”

“No, Bart,” Anna checked to make sure they were alone and lowered her voice for good measure, “Castiel is in the hospital.”

“What are you talking about? Why? What-”

“Last night, Naomi struck him with a plate. He ran out the back door, and-Bart he-”

“No, no! She told me they just had another argument. She’d never get physical with him,” Bart denied, growing louder by the second. Anna shushed him, constantly checking to make sure they were still alone. 

“Bart, listen to me. I saw Castiel earlier this morning. He’s in the hospital and he needs-”

“No, no...he’s-he’s in his room. Naomi told me that he was in his room,” Bart tried to reason. 

“I’m sorry, but she lied. Castiel is in the hospital and he needs your help, but Naomi _cannot_ know where he is. He isn’t safe around her,” all the while Anna was trying to explain, Bart was just shaking his head. 

“Bart. Bart, look at me,” when she had his attention, she spoke clearly and calmly, “we can deal with everything else later, right now, we need to make up an excuse to go help him. I don’t think it’s safe to tell Michael where he is, either. He might tell Naomi.”

“Hey, that’s my wife and my son you’re talking about. I trust them, why can’t they know?” he countered, starting to get defensive. Anna panicked and tried desperately to think of something that would get Bartholomew on board. 

Then she remembered: she had taken pictures of Castiel’s injuries on her phone. She didn’t know if this was going to court, but she knew those photos would come in handy if it came to that. She quickly dug out her phone and pulled up her photo gallery. 

Bart’s face fell as he took in what he was seeing. 

“That’s Cas, that’s my boy-” he said, starting to put the pieces together. “H-how do we...what do we do?” he asked. Anna took a deep breath. That was the easy part. The hard part was sneaking to the hospital alone on Christmas morning without arousing suspicion. 

“Um, I’m not sure. We have to make up an excuse to get out of the house. Anything come to mind?” 

“What if, uh...Oh! What if one of us faked an injury and...and, uh...no,” he thought out loud, grabbing the back of his neck as he searched for a solution. 

“Wait, no...you might be onto something,” Anna thought, “how about we leave a note saying that I...sprained my wrist or something and that you’re taking me to have it looked at. Maybe I was setting out a surprise gift and I fell, I don’t know! We can think of a better cover on the way to the hospital,” she said. 

Bart jumped into action, abandoning his breakfast and scribbling the note on a piece of paper. Anna turned off the stove and rushed to put her boots back on. Before long, they were in the car and on their way to Cas. 

Bart ran right up to the front desk and got a nurse’s attention. 

“Hello, my name is Bartholomew Novak and my son, Castiel, was admitted here last night. I-I just found out, where is he?” he asked frantically. The nurse calmed him down and got all the information she needed before leading them to Castiel’s room. 

When they got there, they were greeted with not one, but four faces looking back at them. All of them a different mixture of shocked and confused. All, but one, anyway. 

Dean stood up and put himself between his boyfriend and Bartholomew. Mary and Sam were on the other side of the bed, watching carefully as the scene played out. 

Dean kept his eyes trained on Bartholomew, darting only briefly to Anna in a silent question. 

_Is this ok?_

Castiel was the first one to speak.

“Dad?” he asked simply. At Anna’s head nod, Dean backed off. Bart swept over to his son to examine him more closely. 

“Castiel! How...what happened?” the boy gave a panicked look at Anna. He hadn’t told the Winchesters yet exactly what went down. She gave him a reassuring look and he took a deep breath. 

“Naomi…” he started, nervously looking at the other occupants in the room. He wasn’t ready to relive it. He wasn’t ready to admit what happened. He still wasn’t entirely sure it did happen.

“Naomi...what, Castiel?” Bart prompted. 

“She...hit me...last night. Got me pretty good,” he admitted, not being able to say much more without breaking down into tears. 

“N-no,” Bart denied, “no, Naomi wouldn’t do this. You-you must’ve fallen, or-”

“Hey!” Dean barked, “he’s telling you what happened, asshole,” he said sharply, squaring his shoulders.

“Dean Winchester,” Mary admonished. 

“Young man, this is _my_ family-”

“And you’ve done a _shit_ job at protecting your son!” Dean shot back, crowding closer towards Bart. Castiel covered his eyes and Mary sprang up from her seat. She grabbed her son and practically dragged him into the hallway. 

Once they were out there, Dean kicked the nearest trash can, sending its contents flying about the hallway. 

“Hey!” Mary reprimanded, “you are cleaning that up, young man!” 

“He’s not even listening to Cas!” Dean shouted. Mary shushed him and led him further down the hallway. Castiel didn’t need to hear this. 

“And how do you think you’re making him feel now, attacking his dad like that?” she reasoned. Dean clenched his jaw and looked down at the ground. “Honey, I know you’re protective, but this is Castiel’s family. They’re gonna have to sort it out on their terms.”

Dean huffed, “He’s more our family than his. At least we actually give a shit about him.”

“Dean Winchester, you better clean up that mouth real quick,” Mary warned. She took on a more gentle tone when she said, “Baby, I know you love Castiel, but _that_ is his family. He had ‘em before you came along, and he’ll have ‘em if - heaven forbid - something happens between the two of you.” 

Dean recoiled from Mary like she had burned him. 

“Nothing’s going to happen between us! Why would you even say that?” 

“Dean, I’m just trying to make you see a different perspective. What if Cas said all these things about me and Sam?”

“He wouldn’t.”

“You don’t know that. What if we had moved out to Chicago right after your father’s accident? What if all he saw was the fighting between us? We weren’t necessarily winning any awards for ‘functional family’ back then. He might’ve thought exactly what you’re thinking right now,” she reached out and put a hand on her son’s shoulder, “Dean, what Castiel needs right now is support. Not someone trying to tear his family apart even more.” 

Dean took a deep breath and nodded his head, looking anywhere but at his mother.

“Now go clean up that trash. I didn’t raise you like that,” she said, giving him a pointed look before returning to Castiel’s room. 

Once she entered, Anna approached her. 

“Hi, you must be Mary. I’m Anna...I’m dating Castiel’s brother, Michael,” she introduced herself nervously, “I was wondering if you could help me out. Castiel said you’re a nurse here. Um, Bart and I left a note at the house that said I sprained my wrist so that we could see Cas without raising suspicion…” she trailed off, a hopeful look directed at Mary.

“And you need to look like your wrist got treated,” Mary concluded for her. Anna nodded her head and Mary gestured for them to go out into the hallway. 

“Sam,” Mary said, “come with us.”

With that, Castiel and Bartholomew were left alone. 

They sat in an uncomfortable silence for a few moments before Castiel squeaked out a barely audible, “dad?” 

Bart looked up from his phone and focused on his son. Castiel had a million questions he wanted to ask and he didn’t know where to begin. How long would he have to stay here? Where would he go once he was released? What would happen to Naomi? Would he have to take this to court? Would he be able to return to school in a little over a week? 

These questions and more circled around his head so fast, he wasn’t able to hold on to a single one long enough to ask it. He also couldn’t handle his father just staring at him like that. 

“C-can you...can I have some time...to myself?” the teen finally asked. Bart looked confused and maybe even a little hurt. 

“Are you sure?” he asked. Castiel nodded his head, picking at a loose thread on his blanket. Bart scanned his son’s face and rose from his chair. 

“Ok. I suppose I can go...grab some breakfast,” he suggested to himself. Before he left, he put his hand on his son’s shoulder and said, “I’m here now, Castiel. Everything’s gonna be ok.”


	25. The Offer

Sam exited the bathroom, wiping his still-damp hands on his shirt. He hated the automatic air-dryers in there; they never seemed to be able to do their job. What was so wrong with good old paper towels? 

Sam turned the corner on his way back to the waiting room and spotted Cas' dad near the front desk. A woman in heels marched up to him, and Sam stopped in his tracks when he heard Bart greet her. 

“Naomi?” he asked, obviously confused, “What are you-how did you-”

Sam’s eyes widened and he pressed himself close to the wall. This was about to be interesting. 

“Oh, stop stammering. Where is he? What did the doctors say?” she interrupted. 

“The doctors haven’t said anyth-”

“Oh please,” Naomi sighed exasperatedly.

Then, Bart’s demeanor shifted. He seemed to take on a new sense of confidence. He lifted an accusatory finger at her and demanded, “What happened last night?” 

Naomi tried to brush it off, but Bart refused to back down. 

“I told you, we argued and I sent him up to his room. Maybe he snuck out and got himself hurt! You allow him way too much freedom,” she accused. 

“Don’t turn this on me,” Bart argued, “look, I’m not an idiot. I can put two-and-two together. You guys got into another argument last night, and now my son is in the hospital.”

Sam covered his mouth and quickly reminded himself to act normal. Being caught spying would not be beneficial...to anyone. This was quite the conversation, though. 

Naomi seemed to chew on her cheek as she thought of what to say next. She lowered her voice so that Sam really had to strain to hear what she was saying. 

“Bartholomew, this is not the place for this conversation. I don’t know what Castiel got into, but I won’t stand here and be accused of-of what? Child abuse? By my own husband?”

Bart sighed and raised his hands placatingly. He brought one hand to his brow while the other dropped to his side. He shook his head.

“Ok...ok,” he acquiesced. They stood there for a moment before Bart asked, “Hey, how...how did you know _Castiel_ was here? The note we left said I was taking _Anna_ to get her wrist looked at.”

Naomi rolled her eyes and crossed her arms in front of herself. 

“I told you you give him too much freedom,” she said in lieu of an actual answer. 

“And what’s that supposed to mean?” Bartholomew questioned. 

“I installed a tracking device to his phone. I checked it this morning,” she admitted.

“You-” Bart shouted, cutting himself off and lowering his voice, “you installed a _tracking device_ in my son’s phone?” he whispered sharply. Naomi brushed him off with a wave of her hand. Sam could not believe what he was hearing. He knew Cas’ mom...step-mom was strict. But a _tracking device_? Surely, no parent was that overbearing. 

“Oh, please. It was for his own safety.”

“Naomi…” Bart pinched the bridge of his nose. He looked reluctant to ask, “what happened last night.” 

“If you’re accusing me of striking that boy, you better think twice. You said the doctors haven’t told you anything. Did Castiel tell _them_ anything?” 

When all Bart could seem to do was stand there with his mouth agape, Naomi pressed on.

“Bartholomew, if Castiel accuses _me_ as his abuser, this could go to court. And then what? Think of our reputation. Think of _Michael!_ If I lose my job, what happens to him?” she asked rhetorically, “what happens to _you_ if I get stuck with this? We are married, Bartholomew, this won’t reflect well on you, either.” 

Bartholomew looked genuinely torn.

At that point, Sam had heard enough and went to find Dean. 

⚣

Castiel sat on his bed with his eyes closed. Not quite asleep, but not fully awake, either. He couldn’t use his phone because the screen hurt his eyes, and everyone had left to go do other things. As he awaited his CT results, he replayed last night over and over in his mind. He still wasn’t entirely convinced that it actually happened to him. Maybe it was a super long, hyper-realistic dream he was having. Or maybe it had been an episode of TV he watched. 

Just as he thought he might fall into another tumultuous unconsciousness, he heard the door to his room. His eyes opened, and he watched his father walk in and take a seat in the chair next to Cas' bed. 

“How’re ya feeling?” Bart asked gently. Castiel shrugged his shoulders and looked at the wall in front of him. 

“Doctors didn’t come in while I was gone?” 

Castiel just shook his head. 

“Good. Um, I wanted to talk to you before they got here. Castiel...what are you going to say when the doctors ask you what happened?” 

The teen narrowed his eyes and tilted his head in confusion. “Uhhhh...the truth?” 

Bart looked almost...disappointed and let out a slow breath. He rubbed his hands up and down his thighs as he thought of what to say next. 

“I, uh, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Bart said, refusing to make eye contact with his son. 

Why the hell did his dad think Castiel lying to his doctors was something he should do? As he sat on that question, the answer slowly dawned on him. 

“You don’t want me to say Naomi is responsible for this,” Castiel stated, almost disbelieving he even had to say those words out loud. He let out a laugh and looked away from the cowering figure in the chair he had mistaken for his father. 

“Look, I can get you a place under my name, and I can give you a monthly allowance. You don’t have to come back and live with Naomi. In fact, if you leave her name out of this, she won’t bother you again,” Bart promised. 

Castiel sat there dumbfounded. How many times would he have to ask himself if this was actually happening to him? Since when did his life become some sort of soap opera?

“What do you want me to say? That I _fell_?” Castiel asked sarcastically. Bartholomew finally made eye contact with his son. What Castiel saw in those blue eyes made his blood run cold. His father was asking Castiel to lie...to put himself into more danger, just to save Naomi’s reputation. 

Castiel used to look up to his father. He used to be so proud of Bartholomew, he used to think that _maybe,_ one day, he could grow up to be as great as his dad. Well that fantasy shattered in that moment. The blue eyes he used to love because they reminded him of his own now looked back at him, empty. 

Castiel’s own eyes filled with tears against his will. He tried to blink them away but there was no use.

“Leave,” the teen choked out. His father looked at him in confusion and opened his mouth to argue, but Castiel insisted more fiercely, “ _out!_ ” 

Bartholomew looked as if he were about to argue, but instead he lifted his hands in surrender and made his exit. As soon as the door clicked shut behind him, Castiel broke down in tears. 

What the fuck just happened to him? 

Not only was he hit so hard in the head he had to go to the ER, but now his father was trying to convince him to lie so that Naomi wouldn’t even get in trouble for sending him there! 

The worst part was...Castiel was actually interested in his father’s offer. 

He had to admit, his own apartment, an allowance, never seeing Naomi again...it all sounded like an amazing deal. And it wasn’t like Naomi would be around other kids, right? So this probably wouldn’t happen again. 

Plus, Castiel didn’t have a clue what the legal process would look like if he decided to tell the truth. Would there be a trial? What if he lost? What if they sent him back to live with Naomi and she did something _worse_? Even if she didn’t lay another hand on him, the sheer tension alone would drive him crazy. He couldn’t go back to that house so long as Naomi lived there. 

Castiel was so wrapped up in his thoughts, he didn’t even hear the door open. 

“Cas?”

Through watery eyes, Castiel looked up at his boyfriend. 

⚣

“What!?” Dean practically screamed. Sam raised his hands in surrender. 

“Don’t shoot the messenger, ok?” 

Dean stalked up and down the break room, not enjoying the ‘time-out’ Mary put him in.

“So...what? His dad’s gonna have Cas _lie_ about his injuries? To protect _Naomi?_ That’s fucking bullshit!” 

“I don’t know, Dean. All I know is that _Naomi_ doesn’t want Cas to tell the truth. I don’t know what his dad is gonna do.”

Dean stopped pacing and cradled his head in his hands. 

“This is so messed up. We’re seniors in high school, this shouldn’t be happening to us,” Dean complained, “and mom stuck me in here just because I cursed a few times, and yelled at Cas' dad, and _maybe_ kicked a trash can!” 

“And before you kick another one,” Sam butted in, “why don’t you just go see Cas?”

Dean opened his mouth to argue before he shut it and seemed to register what his little brother said. It’s not like Mary was standing guard; he really could just walk out. 

“You’re right,” Dean said simply as he made his way out of the breakroom. 

Sam rolled his eyes and said to himself, “of course I’m right.”

Before Dean busted down the door, guns blazing, he took a second to just think. Maybe his mom was right about him being a little...excited earlier. He took a deep breath in and pushed open the door. 

It didn’t take him long to realize his boyfriend was crying.

“Cas?” 

His boyfriend looked up at him and Dean swore he was staring straight at a kicked puppy. When the injured teen noticed Dean staring at him, he broke down even further, hiding his face behind his hands. 

Dean swept over to him and gently grabbed Cas' arm. 

“Hey, hey...it’s ok, babe,” Dean comforted. Castiel turned his face into Dean’s stomach and Dean immediately wrapped his arms around his boyfriend. 

After a few long, silent moments, Castiel pulled away and wiped at his eyes. 

“I don’t know what to do,” Castiel whispered. Dean pulled the chair as close to the bed as he could and sat down. He laced his fingers through Cas' and squeezed. 

“Just one step at a time, babe.”

“Ok, but I’m here. I’ve taken that step. What _now?_ ” Castiel asked, growing impatient. Why were his damn test results taking forever?

“The doctor should be here any minute,” Dean said. 

“And then what? What do I say to them?”

The boys stared at each other for a long, weighted moment. Dean knew that Naomi wanted Cas to keep his mouth shut about her. Castiel knew that his father bribed him to lie about what happened last night. But neither knew the other knew what they knew. 

Castiel steeled himself and admitted, “My dad came in a few minutes ago. He said he’d get me my own apartment and an allowance.”

“That...that’s good. You won’t have to be around Naomi anymore.”

“Yeah, except I have to tell the doctors that I hurt myself by...by falling or something,” Castiel revealed. Dean bit his tongue and took a deep breath through his nose. 

“Cas, you can’t do that.”

“Why not?” 

“Because....because-”

“You just said that it was a good thing! I’d be away from Naomi,” Cas reasoned. 

“Yeah, but...but Naomi did this! She should be held responsible!” 

“Woah! Who’s dishing out responsibility?” Anna asked and she shut the door behind herself. She walked up to the bed and showed off her brace to Cas. “Mary hooked me up,” she bragged to them. 

“Anna-” Cas started. 

“Naomi knows Cas is here,” Dean finished. 

She looked back and forth between the boys and let out a disappointed sigh. “Damn it,” she whispered. “Do you know how long it took to find one of these?” she asked, raising her wrist up. 

Despite himself, Castiel laughed. Anna removed the brace and went to sit in the chair on the opposite side of Cas' bed. 

“How’d she find out?” she asked. 

“I’m still not clear about that,” Castiel answered, mulling it over in his mind. 

“Uhh,” Dean chimed in, “Sam overheard your dad and Naomi talking in the lobby a little bit ago. He said she mentioned a tracking device?”

Castiel groaned and flopped his head dramatically on his pillow. 

“I completely forgot about that!” 

“Wait, you _knew_ she had a tracking thing on you?” Anna asked. Castiel huffed a laugh. 

“Yeah, she’s not exactly the evil mastermind she thinks she is. She yelled at me for going to the zoo that one time and it came up when I asked her how she knew I was there. Since then, I’ve been manually overriding it.” 

“How the hell do you know how to do that?” Anna asked. 

A lightbulb seemed to go off in Dean’s mind as both he and Castiel replied simultaneously, “Ash.”

“I forgot to change it when Dean gave me my phone back.” 

“Well, shit,” Anna said, “so much for the cover story.” 

Castiel grabbed her hand and squeezed gently, “Hey, it’s the thought that counts, right?” Anna smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. 

“So what’s the plan now?” Anna asked, starting to chew on the inside of her bottom lip. The boys shared a look and Castiel decided that Anna might as well know about his dad’s ‘offer’. 

“Well...my dad was in here earlier, after he’d spoken with Naomi. He uh...he offered to get me my own apartment and an allowance...but I’d have to lie about how I got hurt,” he revealed. 

“Oh my god. Is this an episode of Days of Our Lives or something?” Anna replied. What was she getting herself into with this family? Despite himself, Castiel laughed. Anna pressed on, “You know you can’t take that deal, though, right?” 

Castiel made a face and defended, “It would get me away from Naomi. And I don’t know how the legal stuff will shake out. What if I have to go back there with her? Or I get sent to a-a foster home or something? At least if I take the deal, I’ll have a place to live and some money.” 

“But Castiel, she hurt you. She struck you with a blunt object; if this goes to court, there’s not a jury out there that would take her side. And if you take the deal, what’s stopping Naomi from knowing where you are and causing you more harm? Or what if _she_ cuts _Bart_ off. Then what happens to you?” Anna searched Cas' face for understanding. She needed to get through to him; he could _not_ take this deal, “I know this all sounds like a great solution now, but I promise it’s not. It’s a temporary solution for a much longer-term problem.”

Just then, the doctor _finally_ entered. 

“Hello, I am Doctor Andrews,” he greeted, giving a brief smile before consulting the clipboard in his hands. “Which one of you is Castiel Novak?” he asked. The three occupants stared back at him, confused. He laughed somewhat awkwardly and explained, “Just a little medical humor. Tough crowd,” he stopped at the foot of the teen’s bed and read the chart.

“Well, Castiel, it looks like you have a hairline skull fracture,” he stated. At the teen’s worried look, he added, “It’s not as bad as it sounds. The cut wasn’t too deep, and these things usually heal up on their own in a few months. You’re just going to have to take it easy for a while, ok?” 

Castiel nodded and took a deep breath. He reached for Dean’s hand and squeezed. Why the hell did it take half a day for them to give him this news? He thought he was dying! 

“Castiel?” the doctor prompted. 

“Yes, sir?” the teen replied shakily. 

“How’d this happen?”

Castiel swallowed a huge lump in his throat. This was it. This was the moment that decided his future. Was he going to take his father’s offer and live quietly in an apartment until college, or was he going to tell the truth and face the unknown? He felt Dean give his hand a reassuring squeeze. The boys made eye contact and Castiel nodded. He knew what he had to do.


	26. Shed Some Light

Castiel made eye contact with Dr. Andrews and said the most life-changing twelve words he’d said in his short seventeen years of life. 

“My step-mother struck me with a plate,” he disclosed, “and it wasn’t an accident.” 

Dr. Andrews nodded solemnly and scribbled something down on Cas' chart. The teen could feel his heart beating a mile a minute. He just kept making one life-altering decision after another. He sure hoped this wasn’t what adulthood was like, because he wasn’t sure his heart could take it. He felt Dean squeeze his hand again and that returned him to the present. He took a deep breath and tried to calm down. 

“Oh, there you are,” Naomi said as she entered the room. Castiel involuntarily recoiled into Anna’s arms. Dean stood up immediately and put himself between Naomi and his boyfriend. She wasn’t going anywhere _near_ him. 

“I’ve been worried sick about you,” she went on, “you can’t just run off like that,” she looked skeptically at the teen standing between her and her step-son. Through years of practice, she was able to keep the malice out of her voice when she guessed, “You must be Dean.” Although, no amount of practice could keep all of the hatred out of her eyes. 

A shiver went down the teen’s back as he heard his name roll off Naomi’s tongue. 

“Get out of here,” Dean warned, clenching his jaw with the effort to not throw a punch, or at the very least an insult. 

“I am his mother. I have a right to be here,” she argued. 

“ _Step_ -mother,” Anna chimed in for Cas, who was too in shock to speak. 

⚣

Dr. Andrews took in the situation, and fit all of the pieces together. Obviously, his patient was under no condition to be in the same room as his abuser, and he wasn’t about to let more harm come to the boy. Quickly, he cut the tension before it snapped by itself. 

“Mrs. Novak?” he addressed, walking towards the woman, “I am Dr. Andrews, Castiel here is my patient. Could you come out into the hallway with me? I’ll give you the run-down out there,” He turned his attention to the other occupants in the room, “Castiel needs his rest, why don’t you guys let him get some sleep. You can come back and visit again later.” This was a delicate situation, and to do what he needed to do, the step-mother needed to think he was, at the very least, a neutral party. 

Everyone exited Cas’ room, and Dr. Andrews walked Naomi down the hall in the opposite direction of the rest of the visitors. 

“Ah, Mary,” he greeted one of the nurses as she rounded the corner, “will you take this, please,” he asked, handing her his patient’s file. She glanced it over, and they made eye contact. She glanced at Naomi questioningly and he nodded subtly. Mary clutched the clipboard and made her way towards the nurse’s station. 

“Mrs. Novak,” he started.

“Oh please, call me Naomi,” she offered, a smile on her lips. Dr. Andrews nodded. 

“Of course, Naomi,” he amended, “so I’m sure you’ll be pleased to know that Castiel is stable and on track to a full recovery.”

“Recovery from what? What happened?” Naomi questioned, “he ran out last night and next thing I know, he shows up in the hospital!”

Dr. Andrews paused for a moment. His patient told him that he was hit by his step mother, and that the hit hadn’t been accidental. He did hear correctly when this woman, Naomi, had been addressed as his patient's step mother...right? He didn’t have all the facts, but he knew he couldn’t put his patient in more danger. 

He slipped into doctor mode as he told her, “I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but under HIPAA, I am not allowed to offer you Castiel’s medical record,” at the woman’s scoff, he took a second to compose himself. This was not the first time he’d had to deal with a situation like this. “I can tell you he’s stable, but beyond that, I’m afraid I can’t help you,” he explained. 

Naomi scoffed again, “that is ridiculous. I am his mother and I have a right to know what’s happening with him.” 

“I understand your frustration, but I am not at liberty to discuss-”

“Excuse me, but do you have children, Dr….”

“Andrews,” he finished for her, “and no. I don’t,” he admitted. 

“Then how could you possibly understand my frustration? I woke up this morning - _Christmas Morning_ , no less! - to find out my son is in the hospital. And now you’re telling me I’m not allowed to know what happened?” 

“I’m very sorry, ma’am, but I am not legally allowed to disclose anything to you,” At that moment, a couple police officers rounded the corner. Dr. Andrews spotted them and with a sigh of relief, waved them over. “If you have any further questions, you can ask these fine officers,” he told Naomi. He hated dealing with the legal side of his job. 

“Naomi Novak, we’re going to have to bring you in for questioning,” one of the officers stated. 

“Questioning? For what? This is ridiculous!”

“Ma’am, we don’t want to have to handcuff you. Just come with us.”

“Am I being arrested? It’s my right to know,” she demanded. 

“You have been suspected of child abuse. Come with-”

“Child abuse!” Naomi exclaimed, “that is preposterous! I will not stand here and be accused of such nonsensical things.” 

“Ma’am, we don’t want to make a scene. If you don’t cooperate, we’ll have to ‘cuff you. You can walk out of here on your own, or we can parade you in cuffs out the front door.” 

Naomi huffed and started walking. One officer escorted her to the front while the other hung back to get Castiel’s statement. 

In the lobby, Dean watched as Naomi left with an officer. He connected the dots and jumped into action. He had to go see Cas. Before he could get too far, Mary stopped him. 

“Dean,” she called when she saw him heading back towards Castiel’s room. The teen stopped and turned towards his mother. 

“Yeah?” he asked as she approached him. 

“Are you going to see Cas?”

“Yeah, obviously,” Dean replied, annoyed that she had stopped him to ask such a stupid question. 

“I’m afraid you can’t,” she told him, “he’s giving his statement about the incident, and then he’ll need to sort things out with his family. We can come back tomorrow, ok? He’ll have to stay here for a little while while they monitor his injury. He’ll be fine here, Dean. Let’s go home, ok?” 

“What? No! I’m not leaving him here,” Dean argued. 

“Honey, he has things he needs to sort out. You can come back tomorrow,” Mary reiterated. She raised her eyebrows, daring her son to fight back. He sighed and started heading towards the parking lot. 

“Whatever. We’re coming back here bright and early tomorrow,” Dean declared. Mary took a deep breath and followed her son out to the car. She had a sinking suspicion that today was just the tip of a very troubling, messy iceberg.

⚣

Bartholomew dropped Anna back off at the house before departing again to be with Naomi at the police station.

She waved at Bart as he took off and inhaled deeply before walking into the house. 

“Michael?” she called out as she took off her boots.

“I was wondering when you’d be back,” he replied from the office. He stepped out and greeted her with a kiss. “Are you ok?” he asked, looking at her hands, but finding that neither seemed to be injured. He pinched his brows together and asked, “I thought you said you’d sprained your wrist. Was it not that bad?” 

Anna took his hands in hers as she thought about how to bring this up. They needed to talk about last night, and they needed to talk now. 

“Can we talk? About last night,” she prompted, leading them towards the living room. Michael took a seat on the couch, but Anna couldn’t sit down. 

“What about last night?” Michael asked.

“After Naomi sent us out, we went to the office to get some work done. You told me that they fight all the time and that I shouldn’t worry, but then we heard the yelling and the crashes. I saw Cas right before you came out and he didn’t look good. You said you’d go and talk to Naomi,” she recounted. 

“And Naomi told me that they got into another argument. Castiel picked up the plate and smashed it. She wasn’t going to be around him if he was smashing things, so she went upstairs. Look, I told you that those two go at it all the time. Castiel just needed some time to cool off. I’m sure he’s fine now, wherever he is,” Michael assured her. 

“Cas is in the hospital, Michael. He’s not ok,” Anna told him. 

“The hospital? What happened after he left the house?” 

“It wasn’t _after_ he left, Michael. He’s in the hospital because _Naomi_ hit him with that plate before _she_ smashed it on the ground.”

“That’s not true. She told me Castiel lost his temper, so she walked away. He must’ve gotten hurt some other way,” Michael reasoned. Anna looked towards the heavens. What was it with these Novak boys believing every word that falls out of Naomi’s mouth? Did they have zero critical-thinking skills? 

The couple made eye contact and Anna tried to make him realize what was actually going on. Michael took a moment to think about what his girlfriend was saying. If Naomi hit his brother with that plate, then minutes later lied to his face about _Castiel_ being the one who got violent, what else has she been lying about? She seemed completely fine last night; as if it were just another run-of-the-mill disagreement. Michael knew she had a temper. Hell, he’d been on the receiving end once or twice himself.

“I tried to get Castiel to hold onto his news. It wasn’t the time,” Michael lamented. He brought his elbows to his knees and put his face in his hands. 

“You’re blaming Cas right now?” Anna asked, outraged. Michael’s head shot up and he shook his head vigorously. 

“No, no, absolutely not!” Michael assured Anna, “that’s not what I meant. I-I know that Naomi...isn’t...the best with conflict. Opposition may be a better word. She doesn’t like to be challenged,” he explained. 

“Ok?” Anna asked, prompting him to keep talking. 

“I didn’t want him to tell her that news on Christmas Eve. I knew she wouldn’t handle it well, and now he’s in the hospital and she’s...I don’t even know where she is. I woke up to an empty house. On Christmas morning!” 

“She came to the hospital. She’s at the police station now,” Anna explained. 

“The police station?” Michael echoed, “for-for…”

“Hitting Cas. She wasn’t in handcuffs when they took her out of the hospital, but...I don’t know what’s going to happen. Bart went to go see her.” At this point, Anna took a seat next to Michael and put an arm around him. 

“I’m so sorry, Anna,” Michael said. 

“For what?”

“For...this. You shouldn’t have to see all this. It’s...I’m sorry.”

“Michael, you don’t have to be sorry. Family can get messy...Lord knows mine’s not perfect. I’m not blaming you for their actions. But I will blame you for yours,” Anna said. Michael looked at her questioningly. 

“What does that mean?” Michael asked. 

“It means that...I don’t like the way you’ve been acting around Naomi,” she clarified. She’d been meaning to have this conversation with him for some time now, but she could never bring herself to approach the topic. 

Michael pulled away slightly, his defensive side creeping up, “What does _that_ mean?” 

Anna took a moment to think about the best starting place for this conversation. “Thanksgiving,” she said. 

“What about it?” 

“When Cas and I were chatting in the basement and I joked about the desserts, you told _Cas_ that they were for the guests. Not _me_. Cas. I was joking, and you acted like Cas didn’t know right from wrong,” Anna explained. 

“I was just trying to make sure he didn’t do anything to upset Naomi,” Michael defended. 

“And there it is!” Anna interjected. “Why are you so concerned about _her_? You and Cas are brothers. You should be on the same team! You shouldn’t be defending Naomi.” 

“I’m not defending Naomi.”

“Yes you _are_!”

“No, I’m protecting Castiel!” Michael argued. That stopped Anna in her tracks. She pinched her eyebrows together and thought about what that could possibly mean.

“Protecting him?” She asked. Michael nodded and rubbed his face. She waited for him to continue, but it didn’t seem like he was too keen on speaking up again. She prompted him to continue by gently knocking her knees against his and giving him what she hoped was a reassuring smile. He took a deep breath in through his nose and exhaled slowly out his mouth. 

“Look, I know Naomi isn’t a great parent. Honestly? She fucking sucks. With Cas, it’s always her way or the highway, and she can’t seem to just leave him alone. She always has to be in control. She needs to know everything about him, and she doesn’t give him the space to make his own mistakes. She never takes into consideration Cas' likes and dislikes, and she is impossible to talk to when she’s in a mood.” 

“It sounds like she might not just be doing this to Castiel,” Anna guessed. Michael laughed.

“Yeah, I guess I wasn’t very subtle with that one,” Michael admitted. “I just thought if I could stay one step ahead of him, I could help him avoid more confrontation with her.” 

Anna rubbed a soothing hand up and down Michael’s back. She _knew_ he acted differently in front of Naomi. She assumed it was because he wanted to impress her or something. When she was following Dean to the hospital, she thought she was going to have to break up with Michael. How could she be with someone who acted so differently...so _horribly_ in front of their family, yet so wonderfully when they were alone? She was sure he was just putting on an act for _her_ , but it turned out he was acting with his family. 

“We’ll figure it out,” Anna assured him, “whatever happens...we can handle it.” 

⚣

“That was absolutely ridiculous,” Naomi huffed as she got into the car with Bart. The patriarch bit at his bottom lip as he thought of what to say. While Bart was in thought, Naomi continued, “and now I have to show up in goddamn court! I have never been so insulted. I can tell you one thing, my company will no longer be financially supporting the Lawrence Police Department,” she announced. 

“Naomi…” Bart started to pacify.

“Don’t,” she warned sharply. The couple sat in the car for a long stretch of silence before Bart spoke up again. 

“Naomi,” Bart chanced again, needing to clear the air between them. He had been thinking a lot lately about how he’d been living his life. About how he’d been treating his sons. He decided that enough was enough. If this wasn’t a big enough wake-up call, he didn’t know what would be. A funeral? He sat up a little straighter in the car and stated firmly, “My boys are the most important thing in my life, and I haven’t been there for them like I should.”

“And what does that have to do with me? Bartholomew, your children are grown up. They don’t need you around all the time.”

“My children are _not_ grown up. Castiel is seventeen! That’s hardly grown up!” Bartholomew argued. 

“We’re talking about _me_ now, and I’ve just been questioned about _child abuse!_ And now I have to take time off of work for the arraignment, and _where_ are _you_? Because you’re obviously not here with me right now.”

“Are you joking?” Bart asked. Never, in their four years of marriage, had Naomi ever been so outright unfeeling.

“I’m sorry, but am I not allowed to be upset?”

“I didn’t say you weren’t allowed to-”

“Bartholomew, this is going to be a terrible blow to my reputation. How am I supposed to do my work with this hanging over my head?”

“Will you stop thinking about yourself for _one second_?” Bartholomew snapped. Naomi scoffed, obviously offended. Before she could get another word in, Bart continued, “My son is in the hospital on Christmas Day because _you_ put him there. How on _earth_ could you be thinking about your reputation right now? Or your work arrangements?”

“Your son is in the hospital right now because he doesn’t understand respect. Bartholomew, do you know what he said to me last night?”

“It doesn’t matter what he said! _You_ are the adult! He’s seventeen, and there is _nothing_ he could have said that warranted a _serving plate_ to the _skull_ ,” Bartholomew fumed. “I can’t even believe you’re trying to play the victim right now.”

“Bart, honey, that’s not fair,” Naomi said, taking on a gentler tone.

“Ok,” Bart said sharply. He decided to humor her, “What did he say to you? Why is my son in the hospital right now?”

“He...he,” Naomi bit back a sob, and Bart took a deep breath. He was not in the mood to do this routine again. “He threatened me. He called me a _cunt_. Where did your son learn such foul language?” 

“He goes to public school, Naomi,” Bart answered. 

He was tired of this. Every time she and Cas got into an argument, he would ask what happened and she would make herself the victim. He was ashamed, but he’d be lying if he said he didn’t believe her _at least_ half of the time. What was his alternative? He knew teenagers were a handful, and it was easier - more _convenient_ \- to believe Naomi’s version of things than it was to take into consideration what it would mean if she had been making this all up. He knew his son wasn’t perfect, and he was admittedly still getting to know Naomi. But now? There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that Naomi was guilty. And if she was guilty this time...how many other times had there been?

But what did that mean for him? For their marriage? He’d already lost a wife, and he wasn’t too keen on losing another one. Given, these were drastically different circumstances, but it was still hard to go through. Naomi wasn’t entirely bad. He knew, somewhere in her, was a compassionate woman. He wanted to find her...but he would give up that quest if it meant keeping his kids safe. 

“Do you want this?” Bart asked. Naomi pinched her eyebrows together. 

“This?” she asked, prompting him to clarify. Bart sighed. 

“This. Us. My family. Is this...all of this...something you want? Because I want you in my life...my entire life, including my boys. But I can’t put them in harm’s way again. If you don’t want _all_ of me, then…” Bart trailed off, not quite able to say the words out loud. 

Naomi sat in the passenger’s seat, silent. 

“Naomi, this doesn’t have to be the end of the road. We work well together, and we’ve built something solid that I think we can continue to improve. But it’s going to take some work. Especially between you and Castiel. There has to be some common ground between you two, but you have to be willing to compromise,” Bart explained. 

“And if... _one_ of us...isn’t willing?” Naomi asked. Bart sighed and shrugged. 

“I mean...you were the one that insisted on the pre-nup. It wouldn’t be too messy,” Bart said, trying desperately to keep the emotion out of his voice. 

“That’s it, then? I make one mistake and you’re ready to call it?”

“Naomi, drop the act. We both know this isn’t the first time. It’s not just one mistake. I’ve been giving you the benefit of the doubt for long enough,” Bart told her. “I’m willing to put in the effort to make this work...but I’m not really the one that’s going to be doing the heavy-lifting.” 

Naomi shook her head and let out a deep sigh. She said under her breath, “Had I known…” intentionally leaving out _that your kids would be such a deal breaker._

“What was that?” Bart asked. Naomi looked at him with sad eyes and reached out to cup his face. 

“Bartholomew,” she started, the first hint of a genuine emotion he had seen on her face in a long time, “we both know I’m not one for heavy lifting,” she said solemnly. Bart gave a watery smile that quickly betrayed him. He placed his hand over his wife’s on his face as a tear slipped down his cheek. 

They sat there for a few long moments, Bartholomew trying his hardest to school his emotions. The soon-to-be-ex couple remained joined at the hand, Naomi at least offering Bart this one comfort. This was the Naomi Bart was hoping would come out. This was the Naomi he married, not whoever it was Christmas Eve. He silently cursed himself as their hands broke and he started the car. 

“Let’s get back to the house. I have some phone calls to make,” she instructed him. 

Bart nodded and pulled out of the parking lot. 

_Look out ladies_ , he thought bitterly, _yours truly is back on the market for lucky number 3_. 


	27. Reprieve

Castiel stepped out of the shower on December 28th and towelled off before entering Dean’s bedroom. This was the first shower he’d gotten to take since Christmas Eve, and he had enjoyed every second.

Christmas day had been a whirlwind. Once his doctor had cast everyone out of his room, things really picked up. A police officer had come in to question him about the incident and take his statement. Then, a social worker came in and basically did the same thing. She was nice enough, but Castiel couldn’t have been in a worse mood than when he had to recount his story _again_.

After all of that, they didn’t find Naomi a “big enough threat” to be removed from the home. At least not while Bartholomew was around. Castiel could’ve sworn he literally saw red when Anna broke that news to him. He’d opted to stay in the hospital for “observation” as long as he could, avoiding his house (and Naomi) like the plague. 

When he was finally released, he told his dad that he was going to stay at the Winchesters. At Bart’s protests, Castiel informed him that Mrs. Winchester was a nurse and could monitor his injuries better than any of the Novaks could. Without any other arguing points, Bartholomew had no choice but to let him go. 

Castiel was glad to be out of the hospital...but there was a dark cloud hanging above him that wouldn’t allow him to feel as happy as he thought he should be. He was with the Winchesters! His family knew about Dean! This was a huge win for Castiel, but for some reason, it didn’t feel like one. 

The teen pulled his clothes on and headed upstairs to the kitchen. Maybe a steaming cup of hot chocolate would put him in a better mood. He went about preparing his drink, pulling a mug from the cupboard. 

He almost smashed it on the ground when he heard someone greet him. 

“Good morning, Cas!” Sam said, walking up to the counter that separated the kitchen from the dining room. 

Castiel gave a tight smile in response and went back to his task. He really wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone today; he’d done enough of that the past few days to last him until Easter! Between the police and his family and the Winchesters, it seemed like he never had any time for himself. And he felt guilty for thinking that. He knew they all meant well, but he just wanted to be left alone. 

With his drink in hand, he ducked out of the kitchen and retreated back to Dean’s bedroom. He felt a little guilty about commandeering Dean’s room, but Mary wouldn’t hear anything about Castiel sleeping on a couch. So, for the time being, Dean was crashing in the den. 

Once the door was shut behind him, he walked over to the bed and grabbed a blanket to throw around his shoulders. He had been “advised” to stay off electronics for a few days while he recovered from his concussion. The swelling near his eye had gone down, but there was a pretty nasty bruise still covering his cheek bone. 

He sipped at his drink, mindlessly staring at the walls. He was surprised when he brought the mug to his lips and there wasn’t any hot chocolate left to drink. He set the cup on his nightstand and returned to staring at the wall. 

Tears welled up in his eyes, but they didn’t get much farther than that. He’d cried his fair share these past couple of days; he supposed his tear ducts might be approaching empty. He didn’t really want to cry again either; crying just gave him more headaches. 

He wanted a lot of things. He wanted to be on his phone or his laptop. He wanted his mom. He wanted his family the way it used to be. He wanted to be back in Chicago. He wanted Dean. 

He wanted Dean so badly, but he didn’t know how to ask. Of course, Dean would be over in a heartbeat if Castiel so much as called out his name, but Cas just didn’t know. Things had been...weird between them lately. He just didn’t know how to act around anybody. Everything about Castiel’s life was strained, and his relationship with Dean was no exception. 

But that didn’t stop Castiel from wanting to lay his head on Dean’s chest while the Winchester read Harry Potter to him. He just wanted things to be normal again...easy. 

He sighed and stared at the wall a bit longer. Sometimes he would close his eyes, but it was never for very long. After a while, there was a faint knock on the door and Mary stepped inside. 

“Hello, Castiel. I was wondering if you had any cravings for lunch? I could make that pasta dish you like,” she offered. Castiel just shrugged and continued staring at the wall. 

“I’m not really hungry,” he replied. Mary nodded her head and started backing out of the room. 

“Well...holler if you need anything,” she said, closing the door behind her. 

The next knock came a little while after dinner. 

“Hey, Cas,” Dean greeted gently. Castiel gave a weak smile. Dean took a seat on the edge of his bed and put a hand on Castiel’s leg. 

“So there’s a little surprise for you upstairs,” Dean said, a small smile tugging at his lips. As much as Castiel wanted to just lie in bed forever, he couldn’t say no to Dean when he saw that smile peeking out. 

“Ok,” Castiel said skeptically, a smile of his own threatening to tug at his lips. 

“Ahh, do I detect a hint of a smile?” Dean teased as he grabbed Cas’ arm and playfully pulled him towards the living room. Castiel went, only semi-reluctantly, and took a seat on the couch as he was instructed. He tried to suss out what was going on from Mary, but she wasn’t offering any hints. 

Dean disappeared down the hallway for a moment before coming back out with an honest-to-god red sack slung over his shoulder and a Santa hat on his head.

“Ho Ho Ho, Meeeerrrry Christmas,” he bellowed, causing Cas to laugh for the first time in weeks. Sam came in behind him, sporting an elf’s hat. Together, the brothers handed out presents. 

Once that task was complete, they went around opening the gifts, Mary oohing and ahhing at everything. Castiel tried to be annoyed by it, but couldn’t find it in himself to keep the frown on his face. 

After all the wrapping paper was cleaned up, Sam insisted they all watch a movie together. Dean, looking the happiest Cas had seen him in days, agreed wholeheartedly and went to the kitchen to make popcorn. This scene of near perfect domestic bliss made Cas think about his own family. His heart clenched as he wanted nothing more than to be with his father, Anna, and Michael over the holiday. This was the first time he’d ever been away from them, and although he wasn’t on the best terms with most of them, he still yearned to go back to those simpler times.

“Why the long face?” Mary asked, having picked up on the shift in Castiel’s mood. Cas tried to brush it off, but she wasn’t having it. 

“It’s just uh...hard...to be away from my family,” Castiel shrugged. Mary nodded and rubbed her hand up and down his arm. 

Soon enough, Dean returned from the kitchen, bowl of popcorn in one hand, something else in the other. At Castiel’s raised eyebrow, Dean revealed the biggest bag of skittles Castiel had ever seen. Cas laughed and stood up to pull him into a hug. He kept his face buried in Dean’s neck for a long while, breathing in the smell of his boyfriend. God, Castiel missed just being with Dean. 

After a few more moments, they broke apart and Castiel grabbed his skittles. They all settled in to watch _The Polar Express_. The Winchesters always watched this every year around Christmas, and even through the challenges this year presented, they wouldn’t let the tradition go unobserved. 

Castiel smiled to himself as he snuggled closer to his boyfriend.

⚣

A couple hours later, and the credits rolled on the movie. Sam went to bed and Dean gently shook his mother awake. 

“Hey mom,” he stage-whispered. The matriarch opened her eyes and took a deep breath as she stretched. 

“Mmmm, what time is it?” Mary asked. 

“About eleven,” Dean answered. He mustered up the courage to ask, “is it alright if I...stay in my room...with Cas?” he chanced. “We’ll keep the door open and everything,” he added. Mary tilted her head and looked skeptically between her son and her son’s boyfriend. 

“Would I be a bad parent if I said yes?” Mary asked, rubbing her eyes. “Doesn’t...like... _every_ parenting handbook tell you _not_ to let your teenager’s significant other stay the night?” The teen in question just looked hopefully at his mother. 

“Well, I suppose,” his mother granted, “but don’t stay up too late. Cas is still recovering,” she groaned as she stood up from the couch. She pointed a finger at Cas and said, “don’t make me regret this.” As far as Castiel could tell, Mary was only half joking. But he’d take a win where he could get one. 

“Thanks, mom. Goodnight,” Dean said as he grabbed Cas’ hand and led them up to his room. He wasn’t going to stick around and give his mom time to reconsider. 

Cas didn’t realize how tired he was until they were under the covers with the lights turned off. Today hadn’t even been a particularly physical day, but man was he beat. 

The teens faced each other in the dark and Castiel asked, “how’d you pull that off?”

“Pull what off?”

“The presents. Those weren’t all from you guys,” Castiel said. 

“I have my ways,” Dean said mysteriously, earning a playful punch in the arm from Cas.

“You’re an ass,” Cas replied. He caught Dean’s hand as his boyfriend wound back to retaliate, “and you can’t hit me back because I’m huuurrrttt,” Castiel pointed out. Dean scoffed, but aborted his attempt to get Cas back. 

Before long, they had stopped talking and moved on to...other things. 

Castiel was just content to lie there and kiss Dean until the cows came home. He missed this more than he thought he would. It had been so long since the couple had been alone together like this. Castiel ran his hands through Dean’s hair as the other boy shifted to lie on top of him. Castiel smiled and they continued on like that for a while. Long, slow kisses with no end in sight, each selfishly taking what they had been wanting for weeks now. Castiel could live a hundred lives just doing this. 

While Dean’s right arm supported most of his weight, his left hand found a firm spot on Cas’ waist, under his shirt; Dean’s thumb dragging up and down slowly, leaving goosebumps in its wake. Castiel fought off the urge to laugh; he could never admit to Dean that he was ticklish. 

Soon enough, Dean’s hand started trailing lower, sliding under the waistband of Cas’ pajama pants. 

“Umm, wait,” Cas said, halting Dean’s movements. The boy looked at Cas from above, silently asking what was wrong. Castiel swallowed and cupped the side of Dean’s face in his hand. 

“I love you,” Cas whispered. Dean smiled and leaned into the touch.

“I love you, too,” Dean replied, leaning down and pressing a solid kiss to Cas’ mouth. Dean’s hand returned to Cas’ waist and they traded more kisses. Soon enough it wandered lower, tentatively sneaking under Cas’ waistband once more. 

Cas broke the kiss again. “I don’t- can we…” he took a deep breath, “uh...can we go to sleep? I’m pretty tired,” he diverted. Dean hesitated but complied, sliding off of Castiel. 

“No problem, babe,” he reassured. Castiel turned towards the edge of the bed and Dean slid up behind him to be the big spoon. 

Castiel was embarrassed. He’d never stopped them in the middle of...that before. He just...he didn’t want to have sex. Not tonight. He was worried that he might’ve been leading Dean on by making out with him. He just...wasn’t in the mood to take it any further. And he knew it was totally fine for him to say no, but that didn’t make him any less disappointed. 

He didn’t even know what he was disappointed about! Not having sex with Dean? Not even really _wanting_ to have sex with Dean? Was it the attitude from this morning creeping back up? Castiel was still in love with Dean. He still found him beyond attractive. So why didn’t he want to have sex? 

He wanted so bad for his thoughts to just shut up. He really was tired, and he could use the sleep. So what if he didn’t want to have sex? Nothing was wrong with him! Or was there? Maybe this was related to the concussion. What if he never wanted to have sex again? Would Dean stay with him? 

“Babe,” Dean said, muffled into the pillow, “you’re thinking too loud.” Castiel turned around in Dean’s arms. 

“I’m sorry. There’s a lot on my mind,” Castiel apologized. 

“That’s understandable. Maybe try counting sheep. Or singing 99 Bottles of Beer in your head or something,” Dean suggested. Castiel chuckled. 

“What?” Dean asked, “Do you not do that?” He shifted onto his back. 

“Sing 99 Bottles of Beer? Uh...no,” Castiel laughed. He could just make out the smile on his boyfriend’s face. “But I’ll try it...just for you,” Cas said, pecking Dean on the lips one more time before pillowing his head on Dean’s chest. 

At last the thoughts silenced as Cas sang that silly song to himself. 

⚣

_Ding Dong_

Mary shared a look with Sam, who was cooking up some scrambled eggs. She shrugged at the unspoken question: _who could that be?_ She left the kitchen to go answer the front door. 

Mary swung it open to find a redheaded teenager looking quite impatient.

“I’m sorry to show up unannounced like this, but is Dean home?” she asked. 

“Hello again, Charlie. Yeah, he’s in his room,” Mary directed. She shut the door behind Charlie and returned to the kitchen. 

The teen marched down the steps and barged in the bedroom. 

“Dean Winchester what the hell!” she yelled, flicking the lights on as she entered his room. The teen in question peeled open his eyes and squinted against the harsh light. Upon noticing her friend wasn’t alone in bed, she tacked on, “what the _hell_?!” 

“Charlie? What are-”

“Cas, you were in the _hospital_ and _no one_ thought to give me a heads up? Not even a text?!”

“I...You…” Castiel stammered, not completely convinced this wasn’t another weird concussion dream.

Charlie mocked, “ _I...You_...yeah! So I repeat, what the hell!” 

“I’m...sorry?” Cas apologized. 

“Charlie,” Dean complained, “he had other things on his mind.” 

“It happened five _days_ ago. _Five!_ And I only found out because I ran into Mary this morning at the grocery store!” 

“Charlie, I’m sorry,” Castiel apologized genuinely. He _had_ completely forgotten about her. Which was pretty shitty considering how close they’d gotten in the past couple months. “If it’s any consolation...I haven’t told anyone outside of who was directly involved.”

She chewed on the inside of her cheek as she thought about it.

“Again,” Dean chimed in, “life-changing events. Maybe go easy on him.” 

“And you,” Charlie rounded on him, “you were just as capable at picking up the phone and calling. Your. Best. Friend,” she punctuated each word by picking up a pillow and smacking Dean with it. 

Dean raised up his arms to protect himself and got out of the bed to forcibly remove the pillow from Charlie’s hands. “You can have this back when you learn to behave,” he threatened, walking towards the bathroom. 

Charlie sat on the bed and shared a look with Cas. For the first time since they’d met, Castiel thought she looked genuinely sad. She usually had a devil-may-care, I’m-above-this attitude, and it humbled Cas to see her like this now. He took her hand and made eye contact. 

“I’m sorry,” he apologized again, “for not keeping you in the loop,” he threw a look towards the bathroom, “and for him,” he tacked on. She laughed at that. 

“Oh, you don’t have to apologize for him. I’ve known him a lot longer than you have, I’m used to him,” she assured. Castiel shrugged in agreement and rubbed at his eyes, careful to be gentle around his bruised cheek. Charlie reached out and grabbed his chin, leaning his head this way and that to more closely examine him. “Damn,” she remarked. Castiel nodded solemnly. 

“So...what happened to Naomi?” Charlie asked. 

“She’s staying at the house...which is why I’m here. The arraignment is tomorrow.”

“Arraignment??” Charlie parroted, “Holy shit! This is like... _serious_ shit, huh? It wasn’t...like… _sexual_ was it?”

“What? No!”

“Sorry! I was just making sure!” 

Castiel sighed. Dean came back into the room and gently wacked Charlie in the back with the pillow before sitting down next to her and throwing his arm around her.

“Are you gonna have to miss school for this?” she asked. Castiel just shrugged. 

“Depends on what happens tomorrow,” Castiel answered, “there’s a chance Naomi could take a deal and then this is all...over. I don’t know. As far as my injury goes, the doctor said I have a skull fracture, and that those usually heal on their own, but they take a while to do so. I’ll have to give the school office a doctor’s note or something about it when we go back.” 

“Are you in pain now?” she asked. 

“I mean...yeah. It’s more of a dull pain though. I can forget it’s there sometimes,” Cas answered. 

“Cas...that was the saddest shit I’ve ever heard,” Charlie said, leaning forward to give him a hug. “I’m glad you’re ok now.”

He hugged back, the pair embracing for a long moment. Once Charlie pulled away, she wiped at her face quickly. 

“So...does this mean you’re out?”

Castiel nodded, “Indeed it does.” Charlie laughed. 

“Who the fuck talks like that? _Indeed it doth appears that way, my liege,_ ” she mocked in a horrible british accent. 

“Balthazar would have your head for an accent as terrible as that one,” Castiel commented. The three teens sat in silence as each of them took in what Cas had just said. “Oh fuck,” Cas said under his breath. 

“Well...based on that, I can safely assume that at least I’m not the _last_ person to find out about all of this,” Charlie said. Castiel groaned into his hands and leaned back into his pillows. 

“We haven’t even talked since Halloween,” Castiel said, muffled behind his hands. He let them drop as he continued, “How the hell am I gonna tell him all this?” 

“Well, if you facetime him, he’d see your shiner, and there’s your opener right there,” Charlie said, causing Castiel to laugh despite himself. 

“I’ll wait until after tomorrow. I’ll know more then.” 

The teens sat in silence for a while, all lost in their own thoughts about Castiel’s situation. While most kids were idly enjoying their post-Christmas vacation with all their new toys and gadgets, Castiel felt like he’d been forced to age up at least ten years. High school seemed so far away from him, and all the shit he thought was so important mere days ago seemed so trivial to him now. What was his life going to look like after graduation? What was it going to look like after _tomorrow_? 

After a while, Mary called out that breakfast was served. They had to redistribute some of the food, since Sam had only been expecting four people, not five. It wasn’t too much of a hassle and before long, they were all seated around the table, passing the maple syrup around and digging into breakfast. 

As Cas looked around the table at Dean, Sam, Mary, and Charlie, and he realized that whatever happened, he knew these people would be there on the other side for him. He went from feeling utterly alone not even a year ago, to having the greatest support system he’d had in his life. Although things were potentially going to get a lot harder for Cas, weirdly enough, he had a feeling that maybe everything _would_ be ok. 

⚣

Before long, Castiel received a text from his father telling him that they were going to have a “family meeting”. When Castiel voiced his hesitation, Bartholomew ensured him that Naomi would not be present. 

So, about an hour later, Bart picked up his son from the Winchester’s and drove to a restaurant to meet Michael and Anna. 

The patriarch hadn’t told anyone about his conversation with Naomi in the car after she’d been questioned. The couple had talked a few more times since then, ironing out what few details they could at this point in time. 

Bart sighed and rubbed his palm over his mouth. 

“So, uh, Naomi’s arraignment is tomorrow at 10:30 am,” he stated, building up the courage to say what he needed to. “I need to tell you all something before that happens.” 

All three kids perked up at that, not expecting this conversation to be a confessional. 

“Naomi and I have made the decision...to separate,” he revealed. Castiel’s jaw dropped to the floor, his brother’s expression quite identical. 

“You guys are...are getting a divorce?” Castiel asked. Out of all the things his father could have said, he certainly was not expecting that. Bart nodded solemnly, and Castiel really had to restrain himself from letting out a whoop of victory. 

“We haven’t decided officially on that, yet. We’re waiting on the outcome of tomorrow,” he turned to his youngest and held eye contact for a moment before continuing, “Castiel, if you decide to drop the charges, she is willing to follow through with the separation, and leave you alone.”

Castiel felt the weight of all the eyes in the room on him. Why the fuck was this _his_ decision? Why did he have to keep making life-changing choice after life-changing choice? When was all this bullshit going to end?

The teen clenched his jaw and stood up suddenly. As he walked towards the front door of the restaurant, he ignored the others calling out to him. He was tired of it!

Before Cas could reach the car door, Bart caught up and stopped his son. 

“Castiel,” he started. The teen rounded on him. 

“So what, I drop charges and it’s just ‘see ya’?”

“Well, the terms will be discussed at length tomorrow,” Bart answered. “I thought you’d be happy about this. You can finally get Naomi out of your hair.” Castiel looked at his father with soft eyes and tilted his head. 

“What about you, dad? I don’t...I don’t want to...leave you alone,” Castiel said. 

“Castiel. _You_ are the most important thing in my life. I don’t want to force you to be around someone who’s hurt you just because you don’t want me to be lonely. I should’ve done something soomer. Seen a counselor...hell, just _talked_ to you.”

“We can’t...we can’t do that now? See a counselor? Try to...work this out?” Castiel asked. As much as he loathed Naomi, it seemed...too easy for her to just turn around and leave them. 

“That’s something you’d be willing to do?” Bart asked. Castiel shrugged and looked around to keep himself from looking at his father. 

“Would she? Be willing?” Castiel asked. Bart sighed. He made eye contact with his son and shook his head gently. 

“She uh...she wasn’t too keen on the idea,” Bart revealed. Castiel’s stomach dropped at those words, but he didn’t know why. So what if Naomi didn’t want to see some stupid therapist? It didn’t bother him. Except...it did. As much as Castiel wanted to just take the win and celebrate getting Naomi out of his life, there was this nagging voice in his head telling him that he wasn’t _worth_ her sticking around and working on their issues. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, this would be the second mother that...no. No, his biological mom didn’t _abandon_ him. There was nothing he could have done about her. 

But...there _was_ something he could do about Naomi. But why did _she_ deserve it? Castiel grabbed his head in frustration and just...yelled. His father was taken aback. This was not the reaction he thought he was going to get out of his son. 

Bart grabbed Cas’ shoulders and tried to calm him down, reminding him to take slow, deep breaths. Once he thought his son had calmed down, he tilted Cas’ head up to look at him. They held eye contact, Castiel’s eyes filled nearly to the breaking point with tears. 

Castiel felt so...lost. Noami, he understood. She hated him from Day One. He knew she was homophobic, and he knew what might happen when he decided to tell his family he was gay. Did he expect a serving plate to the skull? No. But since when did Castiel ever get what he expects? What he couldn’t understand was how his father reacted. He just got up and left at Naomi’s first command! Couldn’t he tell things were about to get bad? How could he just leave Cas alone with her? Bart was his father, and he should’ve stayed at the goddamn dinner table!

“And where were _you_?” Castiel asked harshly, poking his father square in the chest. Bartholomew was taken aback. He was wrong about thinking his son had calmed down. He took a second look and realized how much anger there was behind his son’s eyes. 

“What do you mean?”

“Christmas Eve,” Castiel stated, “where the _fuck_ were you when she _fucking-_ ” Castiel cut himself off by shoving his father backwards, the tears falling down his face adding to his rage. He didn’t want to cry anymore! Bart caught himself after a few steps and raised his arms in defense. Castiel’s fists remained balled up at his sides. 

“Castiel,” Bartholomew said gently, trying to calm his son down. 

“No!” the teen shouted. He knew that tone, and he would _not_ be side-stepped about this. “How the fuck did _you_ let this happen?” he asked again, lunging at his father. 

Bartholomew caught his son's arms, restraining him before anything else could happen.

“Castiel, I’m sorry!” Bart yelled over their struggle. His son was right. He wasn’t there for him. When Naomi had dismissed everyone, he’d hopped into the shower and washed up for the night. He shouldn’t have made himself so unavailable. He shouldn’t have ignored his instinct to check on Cas after Naomi had told him what happened. He shouldn’t have left that table in the first place. 

The teen fought against his father for a few more seconds before giving up and leaning into his chest. Bart hugged his son as Cas sobbed into his shirt. They stood like that for a couple minutes, Bartholomew swaying gently in an effort to calm his son down. 

“I’m sorry,” Bart whispered, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” he repeated over and over again, soothing his son as they stood outside of the restaurant. Bart didn’t realize how much this had affected Castiel. 

The patriarch’s mind kept wandering back to every single fight between his son and his wife. He was so, utterly lost. In the span of a few days, his entire world view had been turned on its head. Sure, he knew Naomi and Castiel didn’t get along...but had it always been this bad? Had Naomi gotten physical with Castiel before? Every time, she would brush off the disagreements with the flick of her wrist...and he believed her. Never really gave it a second thought. Boys will be boys, right? Bart couldn’t believe how ignorant he had been. He closed his eyes and hugged his son a little tighter. 

“I shouldn’t have let this happen. Naomi has been lying to me for years.”

After a while, Castiel took a shaky breath and wiped at his eyes. 

“Fuck her,” the teen said softly. He retracted himself from his father and went back into the restaurant, towards the bathroom. Luckily, it was a single-person, so he locked the door behind him and slid down it until he was on the floor. He sat there for a while, ignoring anyone that tried to talk to him. He thought about every single way this could play out. He thought about dropping the charges and never seeing Naomi again. He thought about going to family counseling with her. He thought about pursuing this case and sending her to prison. He thought about dropping the case and her going back on her word and staying with his father anyway. 

This was too much for him. He was seventeen for god’s sake, why was he being asked to make the final call on this?! 

Eventually, he stood up and walked to the mirror. He cleaned himself up a bit and went back to the table. He found the others and bluntly told his father, “I don’t want to drop this. But dad...I don’t want her in my life. She’s...she’s not worth it. I don’t want you two to divorce or stay together based on _my_ choice. It’s _not_ my choice. It’s yours! I don’t think she should get away with this.”

Everyone stared at him for a long moment. 

“You’re right,” Bartholomew said, “it shouldn’t have to be your choice. You shouldn’t feel responsible for this at all. Naomi and I are adults, and we will make this decision on our own. But, your opinion does matter. I care about you, and your safety, and your happiness. I know it seems like I haven’t lately, but that’s going to change right now,” he walked up to his son and wrapped him in a hug. 

“I’m so sorry,” Bart whispered. Before long, two more sets of arms joined in on the hug and all four of them stood there for a long beat. Eventually, they disbanded and returned to their seats, all four of them thinking about the day that lied ahead. 


	28. Bargain Hunting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is...the final chapter. 
> 
> Quick shout out again to my friends and beta-readers! Also, thank you guys (the readers...yes you) for sticking with me and leaving comments on nearly every chapter! Some of those comments on the last few chapters helped me flesh out a few scenes, so thank you for helping me improve this story! <3

“So Castiel’s father picked him up?” Mary asked from the living room. Dean finished climbing the stairs and took a seat on the couch. 

“Yeah, Naomi’s arrangement or whatever is tomorrow, so they had to talk about it as a family or something,” Dean explained. 

“Did you mean ‘arraignment’?” Sam asked, entering the living room. 

“Your _face_ is an ‘uh-rain-ment’,” Dean retorted. Sam rolled his eyes. 

“Good one,” Sam replied, “I’m surprised it’s happening so quickly. Wasn’t the indictment like...yesterday?” Dean gave him a baffled look. 

“Do I look like I know about law stuff?” 

“Do _not_ answer that,” Mary warned her youngest. Sam rolled his eyes and folded his arms across his chest. 

“They’re called court proceedings, and given your boyfriend is in the middle of one, yes, I thought you might’ve done some research,” Sam replied, taking a seat on the couch next to Mary.

“Research really isn’t my thing, Sammy,” Dean replied, kicking his feet up on the coffee table. 

“I don’t know. This stuff is actually kinda cool,” Sam said, going for nonchalant, but not quite harnessing it. Dean laughed and shook his head. They watched TV while Dean sat in what Sam had said. Maybe he should know a little more about what was going on. 

“So uh...what goes on in an arrangement anyway?” Dean chanced. 

“Arraignment,” Sam corrected again, “it’s where the defendant pleads and they set future court dates depending on the plea.” Dean nodded slowly. 

“So, they haven’t even like...started the trial?”

“Technically, no. They’ll figure out tomorrow whether or not it goes to trial,” Sam explained. Dean furrowed his eyebrows. 

“It might not go to trial? But she totally did it!” 

“They might work something out before it goes that far. Naomi probably doesn’t want to go public about this. Most likely a vanity thing,” Sam shrugged. Dean blinked and shook his head. 

“I think I’m gonna turn in,” he announced, standing up and heading downstairs. Once he got to his makeshift bed in the den, he ran his fingers through his hair and let out a deep breath. If ever there was a ‘big moment’ or ‘turning point’ in his life, Dean was certain this was it. He didn't know exactly how, but he felt like his life was about to change quite drastically. He just hoped it wasn’t for the worse. 

⚣

The next morning, Castiel woke up with a start...two whole minutes before his alarm was set to go off. He groaned and threw the covers off himself, walking to the bathroom to take a shower. His brain couldn’t give him those two extra minutes, huh? 

He supposed it was for the best, he wasn’t having very pleasant dreams. He turned the shower as hot as he could stand it and stood under the spray for a while. The day’s upcoming events hadn’t really sunk in yet. He just wished everything could be over. He was done with all of it, and he’d heard about cases dragging on for years. He couldn’t take _years_ of this, he was barely handling a week! 

He finished cleaning himself and stepped out of the shower. He walked over to the sink and wiped the fog off the mirror. As he shaved what little hair was on his face, he examined his cheek. The bruise was changing from black to that gross greenish-yellow color. He gingerly poked at it, wincing slightly when he poked too hard. He sighed and exited the bathroom to get dressed. 

His father had bought him a brand new suit for the occasion. It was fairly run-of-the-mill: all black, single-breasted, with a blue silk tie. Nothing super fancy. He slowly put in on, dreading the upcoming events of the day. He really didn’t want to see Naomi. Not now...probably not ever again. 

He and Dean shared a long embrace before Castiel had to leave. Cas knew it just killed his boyfriend to not be able to attend this, but Castiel didn’t want him there. This whole thing was...embarrassing. He didn’t need Dean to see all the shit that happened at home. That was family business...and as much as Cas loved Dean already...he wasn’t family. Not _this_ kind of family. The kind with the fighting and the baggage. 

As Castiel approached his father’s car, he groaned in frustration as he somehow got his tie to come out backwards... _again_! 

“Everything alright?” Michael asked as he exited the car. 

“My tie is being dumb,” he groused. Michael chuckled and walked up to him. 

“May I?” he asked. Castiel nodded and the older brother tied the silk correctly. He smiled and clapped his younger brother on the shoulder. Castiel gave a tight smile in return, and they climbed into the car together. 

The ride to the courthouse was both too long and not long enough. The feeling in the pit of Castiel’s stomach reminded him of the fight he and Dean had a couple months ago where he’d snuck out to Ash’s party. Again, he found himself wanting this to be over, yet at the same time never wanting it to start. It was a shitty place to be in, and he hated how familiar he was becoming with the feeling. 

Bartholomew parked the car and the four of them made their way to the front door. 

⚣

_< << How’s it going? -Dean_

The teen’s leg bounced up and down at a rapid pace and Dean wasn’t sure if God himself could stop it. He hadn’t heard from Cas since early that morning. He knew that Cas had probably turned his phone on Do Not Disturb, or even _off_ , but it didn’t ease Dean’s nerves. He chewed at his fingernails; something he hadn’t done since his father’s funeral. 

“Hey,” Charlie said as she peeked her head in the door. Dean looked up and gave a strained smile. 

“You holdin’ up ok?” she asked, taking a seat next to him on his bed. Dean laughed. 

“That’s a resounding no,” he replied. 

“Have you heard anything from Cas?” 

“Nope.”

“Have you eaten anything today?”

“Strike three,” Dean said, “you’re out.”

“Oh, come on, Dean. You have to eat! You can’t just sit in your room and worry about Cas,” Charlie told him. 

“What do you want me to do?” 

“Sit in a _diner_ and worry about Cas,” she suggested, hoping humor would crack Dean out of the funk he was in. 

He shook his head and replied, “Hard pass.”

Charlie pouted. 

“Please, Dean. We can go to Garth’s. You love the cheeseburgers there,” she reasoned. Dean rolled his eyes and sighed. 

“Will you stop pestering me if I say yes?”

“Um...yes,” she agreed, an obviously fake smile on her face. Dean doubted her integrity, but he knew she wouldn’t leave him alone until he agreed to do something with her. 

He put on his shoes and jacket, and the pair left the Winchester household. Charlie excitedly chattered next to him about the upcoming semester, but Dean really wasn’t present. She seemed to understand and continued to keep talking at him, accepting the occasional ‘uh-huh’ and head nod. Dean was grateful she at least wasn’t forcing him to talk. 

By the time the food came out, Dean was surprised at how hungry he actually was. He tucked into his food and finished his burger in record time. He rolled his eyes at the look Charlie gave him and flipped her off for good measure. 

Dean salted his fries a bit more before he started working on those. Charlie snagged one off his plate before continuing her story about...wizards? Dean really needed to start paying attention. 

They made it through lunch, Dean starting to actually contribute to the conversation towards the end. He paid for both their meals as a thank you for getting him out of the house. And for putting up with him when he was like this. He did feel a lot better now that he had food in his stomach, and he wasn’t constantly worrying about Cas. Dean knew Cas would call as soon as he had any news. 

The pair made their way back to the Winchester house, Dean honest-to-God _laughing_ as they walked through the front door. 

“Hello, Charlie!” Mary greeted from the top of the stairs. 

“Hey Mary!” she responded. 

“He didn’t give you too much trouble, did he?”

“Oh, no. He was such a sweet boy,” she said, pinching Dean’s cheek for effect. He rolled his eyes and pushed her off of him. 

“Well, I’m glad to hear it. Sam has been waiting for you to get back. He’s dying to play this board game Alfie got him for Christmas,” Mary said. 

They gathered in the living room where the youngest Winchester and his boyfriend had the game all set up and ready to go. Dean shrugged and thought that this was as good a distraction as any. He still hadn’t heard anything from Castiel. He sent off a quick text before they started just to be sure. 

As it turned out, the game was mostly based around accusing everyone else of being a fascist. It seemed complicated at first, but after they all got the hang of it, all bets were off. At one point Sam ‘killed’ Dean “just because it would be funny”. Needless to say, Dean held a grudge for a couple games after that. 

Throughout the night, Dean would text Cas in between rounds. He was starting to get worried, but he tried to just focus on the game and give his boyfriend the space. Dean kept reminding himself that Cas would call him back as soon as he could. 

As soon as he could. 

⚣

It was approaching nine in the evening and Dean was practically vibrating with nerves. He still hadn’t heard anything from Cas, and he was half tempted to drive to the courthouse himself. 

He’d gone downstairs to shower and worry in peace. He was growing tired of everyone looking at him like _that_. He felt like he was letting _them_ down somehow by not having any information yet. 

Dean nearly jumped out of his bed when his phone started to ring. He saw the name on the screen and clumsily swiped his screen to answer it. 

“Cas?”

_“Hello, Dean”_

“W-Why didn’t you text me back?” 

_“My phone’s battery has been shitty lately, and all your texts killed it while we were in there. I wasn’t able to get a charger until like ten minutes ago,”_ Cas explained. Dean let out a long breath. So all _his_ texting killed the battery on Cas’ phone? The irony was not lost on Dean. 

“Oh, sorry.”

_“It’s fine. I probably would’ve done the same if our roles were reversed,”_ Cas mediated. 

“So...how’d it go?” Dean bit his lip and fidgeted with the loose threads at the bottom of his pants. 

_“Uhh...not...bad.”_

Dean laughed and shook his head, “yeah that’s not really much of an answer, babe.” Castiel laughed on the other end of the line and Dean almost cried. He’d been so stressed about Cas all day, now hearing him laugh was like the sweetest music to his ears. 

_“It felt like forever. There was a lot of lawyer garbage that I didn’t really understand, but the gist is that we finally agreed on a deal,”_ Cas explained. 

“That sounds...good?”

_“Yeah,”_ he agreed, _“but, I don’t know. It seems...I just feel like Naomi would have put up a bigger fight, ya know?”_

“Didn’t you say it took all day for you guys to agree on something?” Dean questioned. Surely, that was a fight on Naomi’s part. 

_“Yeah,”_ Castiel agreed hesitantly, _“but I don’t know...I guess I kinda built it up in my head.”_

“Built what up?”

_“This whole Naomi thing. Like...our last stand or whatever. I thought it’d be...more dramatic,”_ Cas confessed. 

“Dramatic?” Dean practically yelled, “you got knocked out cold and spent three days in the hospital, Cas. You thought it would be _more_ dramatic?”

Castiel chuckled on the other end of the line. 

_“I guess you do have a point,”_ he conceded. 

“So,” Dean chanced, “what was the deal?” Castiel sighed.

_“Well, what she did was a felony assault since I’m a minor. She realized she’d have a pretty tough time proving her innocence in court, so she agreed to pay for medical bills and some other things if we let her off with some community service and nothing more serious than a misdemeanor. She won’t serve any jail time, but at least this will still be on her record.”_

“Huh, so that’s...that?” Dean asked, unable to think of anything else to say. How was he supposed to comfort Cas? Dean had never been in any situation close to this; it wasn’t like he could offer him advice. 

_“Almost. My lawyers are having me write this thing called an Assault Victim Impact Statement? I guess saying how this has affected me could help us.”_

“Oh? How does that work? You just like...give a speech in court and they...like...make Naomi hear it or something?” Castiel laughed again. God, Dean just wanted him to keep laughing. 

_“Not exactly. It’s a written statement that only the judge reads. It’s supposed to help with sentencing and compensation and stuff. My lawyers said that it was a good thing to submit just in case she tried anything in the future.”_

“Oh. So...what about your dad?” 

_“Um...actually, my dad and Naomi are getting a divorce.”_

“No shit?” Dean exclaimed, “well, that’s...good. Right?” 

_“Yeah, I guess. Gets her out of my life a little more permanently.”_

There was something else behind Cas’ words, but Dean didn’t want to push it. Not now, not tonight. 

“So, is it over or is there another...thingy?” Dean asked. 

_“Uh, yeah there’s a hearing to make it all official. The judge might tweak some things, but for the most part, if Naomi accepts the plea bargain at the hearing...it’s over.”_

“So when is the hearing?”

_“Uh...in a week or so, I think. After the new year, for sure.”_

“That’s not too bad.” 

_“Yeah.”_

Dean nodded and they stayed on the line for a few heavy, silent moments. Neither of them quite sure what to say. There were millions of things swimming around in both of their heads, but they didn’t want to freak the other one out. 

“So, when do you think you’ll be back?” Dean asked, needing to say something.

_“Not sure. My dad and Naomi are talking privately right now. I was lucky enough that someone had a charger for me.”_

Dean was silent for a long time, not exactly knowing what to say next. 

_“You still there?”_ Cas asked. 

“Yeah,” Dean said distractedly, “I love you,” he tacked on, the impulse to remind Castiel of that crashing over him. 

_“I love you, too,”_ Cas replied. They fell silent again for a moment longer. 

“Are you...coming back here tonight?”

_“I don’t know. Probably. I think Naomi plans on staying in the house for a while yet, and I won’t stay with her. But, I think she and dad are talking about, uh...the divorce they’re getting. I don’t know how much longer she’ll be staying at the house.”_

“Yeah. Well, uh...I’ll be up, so…” Dean trailed off. 

_“Ok. Also...my dad said he wanted to spend time with us, uh Michael and me, tomorrow. He still has the whole divorce stuff to go through after this, I think he doesn’t wanna be lonely.”_

“Oh,” of course, Dean was disappointed, but he understood. “You’ll still be able to come over tomorrow _night_ for New Year’s Eve, though, right?” he chanced. 

_“Yeah, of course.”_

“Ok. Good. Um, I’ll see you soon. I love you.”

_“I love you, too.”_

⚣

The next day passed quickly, Castiel spending time with his dad and his brother during the day, then ringing in the New Year with the Winchesters that night. It was a great night filled with laughter and celebration; something Castiel didn’t think he would experience for a long time. It was a perfect night amidst all the chaos Cas’ life had been the past few months. 

As he kissed Dean at midnight, he felt so overwhelmed with love that he thought he was literally going to melt into a puddle. He also realized that he could do this whenever he wanted, wherever he wanted. They didn’t have to be a secret anymore. He could scream it from the rooftops if he wanted to! 

As it turned out, Castiel _did_ need to miss school for the trial. It happened the second week after break, and as Cas donned that black suit, an air of finality fell over him. Anna tied his tie for him this time, and they all made their way to the hearing. 

Naomi accepted the plea bargain, they all signed some papers, and that was it. It was an unseasonably warm day and the sun was shining as they exited the courthouse. Castiel smiled and took a deep breath. It was really over. If you would have told him this time last year that Naomi would be out of his life and all he had to suffer was a minor concussion, he would’ve laughed. 

When they arrived at the house, Naomi having moved out (for the most part), Castiel decided that he would finally reach out to Balthazar. He’d chickened out of talking to him until now, but with the hearing over, Castiel had no real reason to keep putting this off. 

He pulled out his laptop and rang up Balthazar on Facetime. He was surprised when the Brit actually answered. 

_“Cassie?”_

“Hey, Balthazar,” he greeted, unease about how this was going to go settling in his stomach. 

_“You’re in a suit,”_ Balthazar observed, _“what’s the occasion?”_

“Uh, I actually just got back from Naomi’s hearing.”

_“Hearing? As in like...court?”_

“Yeah…”

_“Well, Jesus Cas! You can’t just spring that on a guy!”_ Castiel just shrugged, not really knowing what to say. Balthazar laughed. _“So what happened?”_

Castiel recounted everything that had happened since Thanksgiving. Balthazar listened patiently, giving his two cents here and there. Castiel felt so relieved to be talking to Balthazar again. It had been too long since they had spoken. 

_“So...she made your life a living hell for damn near four years...and you’re letting her off with some community service?”_ Balthazar questioned. 

Castiel hesitated. He knew what Naomi had put him through was punishable by far worse than what she was getting. The thing was...he just wanted it all to be over. 

“I mean…” Castiel shrugged, not knowing how to explain this to his friend. 

_“Cassie,”_ Balthazar said gently, if not a little bit annoyed, _“I can’t help but feel like it’s not enough. I mean...you have a real opportunity to make Naomi repent...face jail time...and you’re basically letting her off with a slap on the wrist. You’re kind of selling out, mate.”_

Castiel shook his head. “You know Naomi has connections. Power. She could drag this case on for years and not make a dent in her assets. I just...don’t have the patience for that. I don’t have the time. I know what she did was...unforgivable. I know she should serve time for it. But I also know that at least my medical bills are paid for. My therapy will be paid for-”

_“You’re going back to therapy?”_ Balthazar interrupted.

“Yeah. After the year I’ve had?” Castiel said, only half-joking. Balthazar gave him a sad smile and nodded his head. 

Castiel continued, “With this deal, she is out of my life _now_. That’s all I really wanted. And she didn’t get away with it either. It’s still going on her record. If this would have dragged out in court...and if she would have _won…_ ” Castiel shook his head, not even wanting to think about that possibility, “at least this way she _is_ held responsible...at least a little bit. Maybe I did ‘sell out’,” he said, using actual air quotes, causing his friend to laugh, “but at least I could buy a little peace of mind.” 

_“Well said, Cassie,”_ Balthazar replied. _“Soooo...you and that bloke still together?”_

Cas laughed at the abrupt change in subject, “Dean? Yeah. We’re still together.” Balthazar nodded. 

_“I’m sorry. About Halloween and...yeah. I shouldn’t have said that shit.”_

“It’s ok. I said some shitty things, too. Call it even?”

_“Deal,”_ they laughed and chatted for a few more minutes. Castiel was filled in about all of Balthazar’s escapades at college. His friend really seemed to be thriving there. Castiel was happy for him. He knew Balthazar struggled living at home with his (mostly absent) father. It was nice to see him in an environment that nurtured him instead of making him fend for himself. 

Castiel needed to tell the Winchesters the news, so he bid Balthazar goodbye with the promise of talking more often and headed over to their house. He was barraged with hugs when he told them the good news. Luckily, Charlie was already at the Winchester’s, so he didn’t have to tell her separately as well. By the end of the day, Castiel was beaming so hard, his cheeks hurt. 

Mary had baked a pie in anticipation of Castiel’s hearing results, and she was relieved when it was a celebratory pie and not a consolation pie. It was well past ten on a school night, and she struggled with telling them to wind down. They all just looked so happy. It was definitely the most carefree she’d ever seen Castiel. 

“Ok, everyone. I know you’re having a good time, but it _is_ a school night. You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here,” she joked, “except you, Dean. You have to stay here.” 

Thankfully, they all agreed that it was getting late, so they stood up and said their goodbyes. Castiel even gave Mary a long hug, thanking her for the pie. 

Dean walked Cas out to his car, despite the temperature having dropped to almost zero. 

“You know...that suit looks damn good on you,” Dean said as they approached the car. Castiel smirked and leaned against the driver’s side door. Dean fiddled with his tie, a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth. 

“Oh yeah?” 

“Yeah,” Dean responded, crowding up to his boyfriend, “but I bet it would look better on my floor.” 

“Oh my _god_ ,” Cas gawked at the awful pick up line. They laughed as they slotted their bodies perfectly into each other. 

“I’m happy for you, Cas,” Dean said, taking on a more serious tone. 

“Thanks,” Cas replied. He leaned in and kissed Dean, long and sweet. They broke the kiss when they started laughing again. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Dean said. 

“Goodnight, Dean. I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you have it!
> 
> As always kudos and comments are greatly appreciated. If you feel so inclined, my tumblr is satansass666 if the spirit moves you to give me a follow. :) 
> 
> It's been a blast writing this (it took me 4 goddamn years to finish), so I hope you enjoyed reading it! <3


	29. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You think I'd leave you without an epilogue?? 
> 
> Enjoy :)

“Hurry up, Cas! We’re gonna be late!” 

“It’s my stupid tie!”

“I’ll do it for you, just get in the car!”

Castiel groaned, but followed Dean out to his car. They had roughly 20 minutes before graduation was supposed to start, and it took 15 to get to the school.

Castiel feared for the rubber left on Dean’s tires as they peeled into the parking lot. They ran into the school and met up with their fellow graduates where they were all gathered in the library. 

“There you two are!” Charlie said, punching Dean in the arm, “I’ve been forced to make small talk with other people in our grade,” she complained. 

“Yeah, well, we’re here now,” Dean said, throwing his arm over her shoulder. 

“Dean,” Cas said, “they’re giving out our cords up at the front desk. We should grab them now.” Dean nodded and followed his boyfriend to retrieve their cords. They had both achieved high academic honor (even though Dean complained the entire way through calculus, the son of a bitch got a better grade than Cas). 

The school had decided to dress the entire graduating class in black robes instead of their traditional “women in red, men in black”. That was the crowning achievement of one Charlie Bradbury. She beamed at them as they made their way back to her, and they chatted while they waited for the administration to get this show on the road. Dean also tied Castiel’s tie for him, teasing his boyfriend the entire time he was doing it. 

The three of them were split up once they were organized into two alphabetical lines, but not before Dean planted one solid kiss on Castiel’s mouth. It got a few wolf whistles (mostly from Charlie), but otherwise wasn’t out of the ordinary. Castiel couldn’t have wiped the smile off his face if he tried. 

The ceremony passed by in a blur, and all at once, Castiel was hosting his graduation party at his new house. After his father’s divorce, Naomi sold the house and the Novaks were forced to move. If Castiel were being honest, he liked this place a lot better than the old one. 

It was modest, comparatively to the one Naomi had bought. Only one master bedroom in this one. That was on the ground floor along with the kitchen, dining room, living room, and office. They had a walk-out basement with two bedrooms, Castiel choosing the one with the bigger closet (he had gotten used to having two walk-ins to himself). 

There was also an entertainment center and a wet bar downstairs. That was where the majority of the party was being held, the back doors thrown wide open to allow for the flow of traffic onto the patio that overlooked the lake. 

Balthazar had surprised him by showing up to the party, causing Castiel to practically tackle him in a hug. The old friends reconnected whenever Castiel wasn’t playing host. There were fewer people here than at Balthazar’s party, but to be fair, Castiel hadn’t lived in Kansas very long.

The tight-knit group of Dean, Charlie, Sam, Alfie, and Balthazar stayed well into the night, celebrating and having a good time. Balthazar had even snuck a flask in with him, and was gracious enough to share with the graduates. Dean was tense around him when he had first arrived, but after Balthazar had apologized for the Halloween debacle, they seemed to get along fine; however, Castiel did notice Dean’s arm tighten ever so slightly around him while Balthazar was in proximity. Before long, the others bid their farewells and it was just Dean and Cas. 

They had both started the day in nice, clean suits, but as the day wore on, they became more and more disheveled. Their jackets were the first to be discarded, stopping only when their sleeves had been rolled up and Dean’s tie somehow ended up around his head. The couple was lying on the hammock Bartholomew had insisted on getting the first weekend they had at the house. Castiel was skeptical about the piece of outdoor furniture, but after actually trying it out, he had to say his father was right. 

“Castiel,” Bartholomew called from the back door. 

“In the hammock,” Cas answered. Bart moseyed over to them, enjoying the night breeze. It had been a rather hot day, and he welcomed the gentle wind. 

“Just came out to tell you that I’m turning in for the night,” Bart said, looking out over the still lake. It was a little past midnight, and he had just finished putting away all the leftovers.

“I’m proud of you, Castiel,” he said. After Naomi’s hearing, Castiel had started going back to therapy. Bartholomew even joined him a few times to properly talk about what had happened. Castiel didn’t know how much resentment he was holding towards his father until those sessions. It took a couple weeks, but soon enough, Bart was able to explain himself completely, and Castiel - as stubborn as he could be - started thinking about it from his father’s perspective. The teen was still hurt, but he was starting to understand how everything escalated. Things were a bit tense between them, but they were far better than they were in January.

“You’ve been through a hell of a lot, but you handled everything with grace I haven’t seen since…” he trailed off, thinking of his first wife. “All that and you still graduated with honors. Keep up like that, and the world is yours for the taking.” 

“Thanks, dad. But I didn’t do it by myself,” Castiel said, squeezing Dean’s hand. His father chuckled and ran a hand through his son’s hair. 

“You’re just like your mom,” he said quietly, “couldn’t take a compliment for shit,” he chuckled. 

“Congrats to you, too, Dean,” he said, “I’m glad you’re in Castiel’s life. And I’m glad we finally got to meet. Sorry about...all that other stuff.” 

“Don’t sweat it. Thanks, Mr. Novak, you raised one hell of a son,” the two shook hands and Bart messed up his son’s hair again before turning in for the night. 

The couple stayed in the hammock, trading stories and enjoying the moment they were in. Castiel could live the rest of his life feeling like this. He laced his fingers in Dean’s and asked the dreaded question, “so when does Mary want you home?” 

“She said one, but I’m sure she’d be lenient given the circumstances.” 

“Well, I wouldn’t want you getting grounded the first week of summer vacation. We better hurry up,” Castiel said. 

“Hurry up?” Dean asked. His question was answered when Castiel kissed him. He caught on quickly and returned the kiss passionately. He tried to change positions, but the hammock was too wobbly for him to get comfortable. 

“We can go inside,” Castiel said through a laugh. They carefully extracted themselves from the hammock, only coming close to tipping over the whole thing twice. Once safely on solid ground, Castiel took Dean’s hand and led them to his bedroom. He was sure to shut the backdoor and turn off all the lights as they made their way to his room. Once inside, they closed the door and Dean pushed Castiel up against it. 

They stood there, pressed close together as they traded hungry kisses. Castiel was getting feisty, biting at Dean’s bottom lip. The older boy smiled as he grinded against Cas, feeling just how excited his boyfriend was through his dress slacks. Dean kissed along Cas’ jaw and down to his neck, trying to start a hickey, but moving on when Castiel pushed him lower. 

Slowly, Dean descended to his knees, looking up at Cas through hooded eyes. He unzipped the slacks and palmed at Cas’ dick through his boxer briefs. Why his boyfriend insisted on only wearing orange underwear, Dean would never know, but he wasn’t about to bring it up now. He pulled Cas out and started teasing just the tip with his tongue. Castiel held onto Dean’s shoulders for dear life once he started picking up the pace. 

Up and down Dean bobbed, spit collecting and threatening to start dribbling down his chin. Still, he didn’t stop. He grabbed Castiel’s waist and relaxed, allowing Castiel to penetrate deeper than he usually did. The teen cried out when he felt the tip of his dick reach the back of Dean’s throat. 

Castiel had to stop him after a few minutes, not wanting the night to come to such an abrupt end against his bedroom door. He had other plans. He pulled Dean up and kissed him hard. 

“Clothes off,” he instructed, stepping out of his pants and unbuttoning his shirt completely. He took his godforsaken tie that he could _never_ do correctly off his neck and held it in his hands. When he looked up, Dean was naked save for his underwear. At his boyfriend’s confused head tilt, Castiel raised the silk. 

“Wanna try something?” he asked. Dean swallowed thickly and nodded his head vigorously. 

“Get on the bed,” Cas instructed, removing the rest of his clothing before following Dean. Castiel revered his boyfriend, truly unbelieveing that he had someone so wholly beautiful as Dean Winchester. 

“Hands up,” Cas ordered. Dean smirked and raised his arms, but stopped before they were close enough to the headboard. 

“For a kiss,” Dean bargained cheekily. Castiel laughed and leaned down to kiss him roughly. They forgot about the tie for a few minutes as they just traded kisses, not able to get enough of each other. Soon enough, Castiel remembered his task and pulled back. Dean pouted, but Castiel ignored him in favor of tying up his hands. It wasn’t anything fancy, Castiel not exactly experienced in doing the _tying_. 

He secured Dean’s wrists to the headboard nonetheless, tugging slightly to make sure it wouldn’t fall apart completely. He smiled to himself when it held up and Dean bit his lip when they made eye contact. Cas leaned down and kissed him once more. 

“God, you're perfect,” Castiel remarked before sliding off the bed to retrieve some lube and a condom. 

“I know I am,” Dean replied saucily, winking at his boyfriend when they made eye contact. 

“Someone’s feeling cocky,” Cas observed as he stalked towards the bed, items in hand. 

“I would like to feel cock-y, yes,” Dean quipped. Castiel scoffed. 

“I take it back, you’re the worst.” 

“But you still love me.”

“And _that_ is the _eighth_ wonder of the world.” Dean’s jaw dropped in mock-offense. Castiel kissed the offended look right off Dean’s face. Castiel removed his boyfriend’s boxers and took Dean in his hand and pumped a few times, causing Dean to moan into his mouth. And _fuck_ was that hot. 

Soon enough, Castiel popped open the lube and spread some on his fingers. 

“Ready?” Cas asked. Dean shifted and nodded his head. Castiel smiled and circled his index finger around Dean’s hole. The blond boy’s breath hitched and Castiel kissed him to try to distract him from the intrusion. Once his finger was all the way in, he gave Dean a moment to adjust. Blue eyes looked into green, and Dean gave Castiel silent permission to keep going. 

He added another finger ever so slowly, taking care not to rush. This was the first time Dean was bottoming for Castiel, and he’d be damned if this was going to be anything less than fucking mindblowing for Dean. Once Dean had adjusted to two fingers, Castiel started moving them in and out, gently scissoring them to open Dean up a bit more. 

Based on the sounds Dean was making, Castiel deduced that he was very much enjoying himself. That, and the fact that Dean’s cock was looking painfully hard on his stomach. Before long, Castiel added a third finger. To pass the time, he leaned down and started marking up Dean’s chest. He had a fleeting thought that he hoped Dean didn’t have to be shirtless in front of anyone anytime soon. 

“Caasssss,” Dean hissed, unable to run his hands through his boyfriend’s hair. Castiel paused his task of opening Dean up in favor of kissing him soundly. 

“I’m ready, Cas. Please,” Dean begged. Castiel was more than eager to give Dean what he wanted. He sat back and put the condom on his own neglected cock. He coated his hand in a bit more lube and ran it up and down his shaft, biting his lip at the sensation. 

“Are you gonna put that in me, or are you just gonna take care of it yourself?” Dean asked. Castiel glared at him. 

“I should invest in a gag for that smart mouth,” he threatened. Dean just winked at him. They laughed and Castiel leaned down to kiss him once more before he lined himself up. 

Cas sat on his knees and grabbed Dean’s hips. He made eye contact as he breached the entrance, letting out a low moan as inch-by-inch his cock slid into his boyfriend. 

“Fuuuuuuck,” Cas breathed, “it’s been a while since I’ve topped,” he remarked. Dean laughed. 

“How do you think I’m feeling? Shit, why didn’t we do this sooner?” Castiel pulled out and pushed back in slowly, effectively ending their conversation. They moved like that, slowly and carefully for a while, both adjusting to their new position. 

Before long, Castiel picked up his pace, thrusting into his boyfriend at a brutal pace. Dean adjusted his grip on the tie and held on for dear life. He moved his hips slightly, remembering that if he did...just… “That!” Dean exclaimed, “There, there, oh fuck, Cas, yes!” 

Castiel kept thrusting, Dean pulling harder and harder at his restraints. The air was heavy with their combined scent, and they were each working up a sweat. Castiel attached his mouth to Dean’s neck, biting down just on this edge of painful. That was definitely leaving a mark. Dean moaned once again, all of his senses rapidly becoming overloaded. 

“Shit, Dean...Dean,” Castiel called out, abandoning his work of art in favor of getting lost in the sensation. He could feel the body below him tense up more and more. He reached down and took Dean’s cock in his hand. The combination of prostate stimulation and attention to his cock had Dean practically screaming out Cas’ name. 

It didn’t take more than a handful of thrusts after that for Dean to spill all over his chest. Castiel fucked into Dean harder, chasing his own orgasm. He gave two more powerful thrusts before grinding his hips into Dean and coming harder than he had...probably ever. 

They stayed like that, pressed together from head to toe, for a few long moments. They caught their breath and let themselves sit in the feeling of utter satisfaction. 

Before it became uncomfortable, Castiel slipped out of Dean and discarded the condom. He untied Dean and kissed him hard, Dean’s hands finally able to touch his boyfriend. One hand snaked its way into Castiel’s hair and he pulled slightly, smiling at the reaction it got out of Cas.

The couple traded more sloppy kisses, never seeming to get enough of each other. After a few more long moments, Castiel slipped on boxers and went to the bathroom to get a washcloth. He was disappointed he didn’t have an en suite anymore, but he wasn’t too dismayed, since he basically had the entire basement to himself. 

He returned with the washcloth, having dampened it with warm water. He cleaned Dean and himself up before throwing it into his hamper and climbing back in bed with Dean. 

They traded a few more slow kisses, coming down from their high. Dean smiled sleepily at Cas and looked down at his own body, trying to assess the damage. Castiel laughed and ran his thumb over the hickey he left at the base of Dean’s neck. 

“I gotcha good,” Castiel whispered, laughing to himself. 

“Oh, I’ll get you back,” Dean promised. They kissed for a few more minutes before finally settling down. They got under the covers and cuddled up together. 

“Didn’t you say Mary set a curfew?” Castiel asked, making absolutely no move to disentangle himself from Dean. 

“You think I could stand up right now?” Dean shot back, “set an alarm for six.”

“Six?” Cas complained. 

“Either that, or I can leave right now.” 

“Six it is,” Castiel grumbled, searching for his phone in his discarded pants. He located it and set the alarm, climbing back into bed and tucking himself into Dean’s side. They lay there for a while, enjoying each other’s company. 

“I love you,” Dean said. 

“I love you, too,” Castiel replied, not even having to think about his response. 

“How’d I get so lucky?”

“I could ask myself the same thing,” Castiel replied, snuggling in closer. 

As the couple drifted off into sleep, they lived - briefly - in a world where only the two of them existed. No step-parents, no curfews, just Cas and Dean in the bed, pressed as close together as two people could be. Dean kissed Castiel’s forehead, and Cas knew from that moment on, no matter what happened, he could get through anything as long as Dean was by his side. 


End file.
